Our Own Strength
by Da'khari
Summary: REPOST - Mercy Jones, bullied in school latched onto a boy that showed her some attention, little did she know that was going to be a life changing decision - I own this fic
1. Chapter 1

**Own Strength**

When police turned up at the prime Dallas location, it was a quiet, sunny July morning and Mercedes Jones was catching up on sleep, awoken by the commotion, she and four dozen other women were handcuffed and marched out of the lucrative massage parlour.

Mercedes, 18, was terrified, she had been taken from Lima, Ohio she had been coerced into prostitution by Dean where the punters beat her with numbing regularity. Now there was something new to fear, she didn't even know where she was going, Dean had warned her that if she got caught again she'd be for the high jump, she couldn't trust anyone, she had no idea how the law worked and she was just so scared all the time of this happening. She sat in the van searching her mind for excuses, second guessing what would happen and looking at the faces of these two officer she knew meant business.

At 14 Mercedes was bullied and jeered at School for being, black, big, different, clever, good at stuff, bad at stuff, she actually felt like nothing she did at that place would ever be good enough so when Martin, the fit senior, with the Jesus tattoo on his right upper arm and a cross on his left arm, showed her some interest she jumped on it like a rash. He loved her, took his time with her brought her things, pretty things, took her places she shouldn't be in and paid her some damn attention, so on her 15th birthday when he brought her a gold bracelet and the latest iPhone she felt obliged to give herself to him as a thank you, it wasn't too much to give. So when he suggested that run off and get married she could think of nothing more she wanted to do, 10 months into the relationship Mercedes left everything and ran off with him to Vegas to get married. As far as her friends and family were concerned, Mercedes had vanished, one moment she was on the way home from school, the next she was gone. Vegas turned out to Delicias in Mexico, marriage turned out to be his friend Dean's hide away house, love turned out to be with other people behind a locked door she rarely saw the other side of.

Some Officers from the sex crimes unit in Dallas, had now arrested her for prostitution-related offences, but at least she was safe behind bars' she thought as she sat there wondering what would happen next. Her first day in custody was the first, since her arrival in Dallas six months earlier, that she hadn't been forced to have sex. She had been raped by different men 50 times a week on average, often violent, drunken strangers, she knew if she was released from prison, she would be murdered by the gang who held her, she was on someone's radar now, she had seen it so many times.

Eventually, the female police officers; Captain Clarke and Sargent Reid discovered that they were innocent victims of, a Romanian trafficking team, the Dallas outfit headed by 23 year old Dean Lovejoy, he'd recently arrived in the area, Mercy quietly hoped, when caught, he would receive the longest sentence for what he did in history, as she sat telling them her extraordinary story as evidence against Dean; scared but, seeing a way out for the first time in nearly 5 years.

At first she had the obvious reluctance to describe her experiences because of the shame, fear and stress but, once she relaxed and came to terms with the fact that she was going to die anyway, Mercedes agree to be identified. She seemed to be motivated by a courageous desire to expose this sordid, violent world, as she sat revealing the full horror of her ordeal in an account that could only reopen the debate about how society deals with its sex industry, as Captain Clarke asked her intrusive questions

"How did Martin get you out of the country?"

"I invited him to a barbecue at my house, he came with a load of friends and they were all over the place I didn't mind because they were his friends and I trusted him" She replied before carrying on to say "I saw Marcus give him my passport and I asked him why he was looking at it, he just looked at me blank like, we started making out later and I forgot about it" Mercedes admitted

"Why didn't you call anyone when you realised you weren't where he said you would be?"

"He said he had to just pick someone up and then when we got to the house I asked to use the phone and I got beat up, by this Dean guy, I didn't want that to happen again so I never asked again and Nico said if I did everything they asked I'd be treated well so that's what I did"

"Then what happened?"

"I was introduced to their world" she shouted "I can't remember every trick, but it was much of the same, we moved around a lot. I got fake ID once so I guess I went over a boarder from Mexico somewhere but I only used it that once and Dean took it back. This last spot was the most stable I've been in all the years I've been working for Dean and I got that because he said I've been so good" she said looking up at the female officer that wasn't speaking

"Do you have any marks on your body Mercedes?"

"I got a few from punters; punches" Mercedes said showing a cut on her face and back to the officers "But none from Dean

"Do you use drugs?"

"No not now I tried them once or twice, because Dean thought it would help but, I convinced him I was better without and I wanted to remember everything for when I killed the bastard" she said venomously

"So how much did you make for Dean; say daily on a good day?"

"On a good day that would have been back in the rooms and, I really have no idea I didn't see money then" Mercedes offered considering the question "But in this spar I'd make up to say $5k a day" she said proud like

"How much of that do you actually get?"

"I get a fair bit I get about $400, I'm what Dean calls his asset" she said puffing her chest up "We don't really get drunks at this place so the violence has died down a hell of a lot, and Jean, the Madam leaves us to it really, we get to choose she just handles the money and gives Dean his share, she lives in the basement" Mercedes added voluntarily, before an outburst professing her stupidity and peoples thoughts before suddenly stopping mid sentence as they watched her persona change, she pulled her legs up onto the chair looked straight at Captain Clarke and said "You know in the past I've actually trained girls to do what I do, how fucking sick is that, I mean I know it's wrong, I don't know what's got me thinking this way, that doing this is alright" she said hugging her body now a frail shell of her curvy 14 year old self "Those that couldn't cut it were never seen again, I don't know what happened to them, truth I don't want to know it's too horrible" she said putting her head to rest on her knees as her feet rested on the chair she was sitting on and her arms left her body hug to pull her legs into her chest as she spoke "There are a lot of us going through this, why aren't you guys helping people like me?" she asked looking up at the two officers standing in the room "I'm dead now you know that don't you, he'll find me and kill me for sure" she said as a single tear fell down her face as she verbalised her fate.

"We need to do tests for infections and stuff but, once that's done we'll send you to a safe house, you'll get some support from the team there"

"Safe house are you for real?" she asked laughing "I don't think you realise how big this thing is" she shouted "I'm fucking dead, I squealed like a banchi because I'm dead already" she laughed

"Come get these tests done and we'll see what we can do"

So there was 4 hours of tests and conversations before Mercedes was left to sleep things off and the team were charged with the task of finding her a safe place to stay. "Lieutenant Nichols are you able to do something for me it's a very important parcel I need transporting and storing for a while?" Captain Clarke said on the phone

"I can do that, for how long?" Nichols asked

"As long as it takes to collect it" Clarke shouted down the phone

"Can do" Nichols replied

"Briefing in my office 30 minutes, bring Reid with you please"

30 minutes later Nichols and Reid were standing in the Captains office hearing how, Mercedes was going to be the parcel and Reid would be back up, and how they should report back any abnormal activities. Nichols was ordered to take Mercedes, to the safe place later that day, outlining how detrimental losing the witness would be not only for the witness but to the agency on the grander scale. The drop would start at 1800 hours and any extra instructions would be forwarded to them on the secure phones the Captain handed them, and they left the office shortly after. At 18.00 The Captain made the call and started the ball rolling

Mercedes had been taken to live in Eagle Rock, she had been placed with Lieutenant Nichols a nice enough lady that had taken her to this quiet, mind your own business place and she was pretending to be a young lady fresh out of school in Lima, whose parents had tragically been killed in a helicopter accident a few months ago, she had to say that she had been placed with a family there in Eagle Rock. She called herself Mercy Riley now, put weave in her hair and, after two weeks of lounging about she was about to start Arcadia High School on Monday, dreading It because of the past experiences with school, Martin "What the hell, fuck Martin" she hadn't dare think that name for so long let alone ponder on it "I hate him" she said even louder

Soon it was Monday and Sally Nichols took her to the school, where her husband James taught, Mercy sat in his class looking at him wondering how much he'd be willing to pay for a day with her in private "Leave Mr. Nichols alone he's a nice guy" someone said shocking her out of her thoughts

"What?" she asked looking around to see a blond haired guy with the greenest eyes and the widest sexiest mouth she'd ever seen on a white guy, and she'd seen plenty, which took her breath for a second "What did I say?" she asked looking back at her book _'blushing Mercy Jones no fucking way'_ she thought to herself

"You were undressing the man with your eyes, they say a hell of a lot those do" he responded

"I don't know you, keep out of my eyes" she said swinging round to face him as she said it

"Note you didn't say I was wrong" he replied as she looked at him again

"Note I said fuck off" she spat at him moving her chair further away to send home her message

"Okay I'll try again next year, yeah?" he asked moving his chair further away from her too

"Next life" she snapped back _'but you are cute'_ she thought

Mercy playfully got through the first day, week, month and had forged friendships with some girls, so during the day she was bright, bubbly even, life and soul of the class and surprisingly bright academically, she found herself in top classes for maths, English, Science, Art and Music

"You like music?" the blond haired, green eyed, sexy mouthed boy now known as Sam asked her

"I like a lot of things Sam Evans" she sassed back "You; battery, are not included"

"What?" Sam asked puzzled

"Skxawng (Moron)" she said laughing as she walked away

"Kawyg (Bad) girl" he shouted after her making her turn to look at him and smile but she carried on walking

At the end of school that day Sam was standing at the gate waiting for her "Mercy, Mercy Riley" he called above the crowd making her look around for him, she knew who it was, she just needed to make eye contact to tell him to shut the fuck up "Mercy" he said when she finally found his eyes, making her not want to shout anything back at him

Mercy stood thinking it had been so long since she had felt the warmth of a man between her legs, she'd gotten used to feeling the wet sloppy kisses they placed on her, _only a wife could be grateful for such kisses from such dirty bastards_ she thought and now I'm standing here craving that feeling "What do you want Evans?" she spat out trying to look and sound angrier than she actually was

"Tsap'alute (Apology)" he said "You called me a Skxawng (Moron) and I need you to apologise to me" he laughed "or come to the coffee shop, for a drink whichever you feel is easier"

"What do you really want Evans?" she asked with her hand on her hip giving as much attitude as she could muster

"Nga (You)" he said staring straight into her eyes as he said it

Mercy saw red, she went to hit out at him, all she could think was _Martin in sheep's clothing, this bastard had come to sell her out to the highest bidder and, being the silly bitch that she was she was falling for it all again_ "Why do I attract fucking men like you" she shouted at him lifting her hand to strike as she felt someone grab her from behind firmly

"Sorry Sam, she's still getting over her parents death and we've not quite figured out her triggers yet" James said holding on to her as she kicked about shouting profanities "Mercy" he said calmly about four times before she stopped kicking and he held her for another 5 minutes before the urge to fly at Sam left her body "You need an after school activity" James said as he let her go "Get rid of all that hate for the world and it's brothers"

"You should come join singing club" Sam butted in with

"What; shit hurts so sing about it?" she asked

"Helps me" he said walking away "I'll try again tomorrow you know Tsap'alute (Apology)" he reminded her smiling as he walked

 _'That fucker is relentless'_ Mercy thought as she walked away with James

"What happened?" he asked as they got in the car

"He wants to sell me or buy me or something, he's another bastard wants in me and I'm not having it, I'll kill him first" she said getting mad again

"What did he say?" James asked

"He's been bugging me since day one and today I actually asked him what he wanted and he said me, what kind of mad dog answer is that to give anyone unless you want to buy or sell them?" Mercy asked

"He might just fancy you have you thought of that as a possibility?"

"Men don't like me James they see money how they can make it, spend it, throw it around, beat it not fancy it not in my case anyway" Mercy stated

"You might be wrong Mercy, sleep on it, Sam has his own issues but I know for a fact he's not a bad guy" he confirmed

"One hundred percent sure?" Mercy asked

"One hundred percent"

"I believe you, and I'll apologise to him tomorrow" she said side eyeing him still suspicious

"You've got your meeting with Sonia in an hour so I'll take you straight there" he said "and we can talk for a bit till it's time to go in"

"You're still not sleeping Mercy" he said once the car stopped outside the offices where her counsellor worked

"I still got all that Martin and Dean stuff on my head and I'm trying hard with Sam, he's a good friend but, some of the things he says and does reminds me so much of that trap" she said "but I'm working through it with Sonia, it's just that sometimes it's so bad, I question why I left how sick is that?" she asked him

"I think it's a natural feeling after five years of that life but the key is resisting" he finally said as she left the car to attend her session before going home

The next morning when school started Mercy was waiting in the hall for Sam to appear "Aahh Tsap'alute (apology)" he said with a smile

"No I think you're buying the coffee" she said with a laugh "But I am sorry for kicking off at you yesterday" she said catching him off guard

"Wow result" he said putting his two hands up over his head "I'll take that" he said laughing as he leaned against the lockers as if he would fall if he didn't "After school?" he asked as Mercy stood with a blank face "The coffee" he enlightened

"Oh yeah I'll have to okay that with Tina but yeah, erm I'll let you know later today" she said walking away from him _'he's cute when he really smiles'_ she thought bringing a smile to her face

Mercy got to her class "I'm going for coffee with Sam later today" she announced to Katie and Demi in the middle of the conversation they were having about her joining the cheer leading team

"What Sam Evans?" Demi asked for clarification

"Yeah Evans" Mercy replied rolling her eyes

"He's hot" Kate said ringing alarm bells for Mercy

"What do you mean hot?" she asked

"Come on Lady, you got eyes, any girl would want on those lips of his but, he never gives it up, I don't know any girl he's been out with"

"Why are we talking girlfriends? I'm going for coffee" Mercy added not understanding why the conversation had taken this turn

"Coffee and?" Demi asked

"Coffee and conversation, come if you want" she said wondering if she was going to regret inviting her friends as they moved around on their chairs with excitement "And stop with the ass wiggling it's a cup of coffee" she said as they all laughed

"Girl, I'd love to come but something tells me he only wanted to invite you, we've been at school with Sam for like 3 years and he's never said anything other than hello to us. I know he sings a lot and dances with the girls in singing club but I've never, and I mean never, seen him with a girl" Demi told her

"Shit he's gay" Kate whispered as they all covered their mouths for the word that just came out her mouth

"So he'll be a really good friend then" Mercy said and they all laughed again

So it was soon 3.15 pm and school was out Mercy threw her books in her locker and let out a breath "Sam" she said thinking how she was going to deal with this coffee thing without blowing up on him for everything he said _'remember I won't be far'_ James had informed her after their chat last night _'if in trouble mess with my jacket top button and he'll be there'_ she reminded herself before stepping off to go meet Sam

"Hey Seyin (pretty)" he said as he walked towards her

"Please don't say that Sam" Mercy said holding her hand up to him "And I'm not into the touching thing just yet either" she added for good measure

"Grief is a bitch don't you think?" he asked as he saw the pain in her face "Coffee" he said rounding back on himself to get to the exit. They walked the short distance from the school to the coffee shop, found a booth and sat in it "What do you want?" Sam asked taking his coat off and throwing it on the seat "Wait let me guess ice tea with rocks" he guessed as he sat down

"Wrong" Mercy said smiling

"Cold water with milk" he asked laughing

"No hot choc…"

"…olate with sprinkles" Sam finished as Mercy nodded her agreement "We have the same order, how weird is that" he laughed as he got up to go get their order. "So" he said sitting down opposite her giving her, her cup of hot chocolate and putting a plate with two cookies in the middle of them "Who is Mercy Riley" he asked before looking at her for a response

"I lived an ordinary life until 3 months ago when my parents died in a freak accident, that nobody will really give me the details about, and I came to stay with the Nichols family" she said taking a sip of her drink

"That's your situation not about you" Sam said when she finished "Okay I'll go first" he said grabbing his drink and taking a sip followed by a full mouth bite of one the cookies on the plate "Oh that's yours by the way" he said pushing the plate across to Mercy with the other one on

"Thank you" she said picking it up to take an equally big bite of hers, making Sam laugh

"Sorry" he said, covering his mouth for laughing with it open "Me First" he said when he composed himself "Well I came to Dallas about 3 years ago with my parents, my Dad lost his job in Texas, where I was born, and we moved here. I thought it was shit at first but then I went into high school and I found the singing club and I'm cool. My sisters not so cool though, she went missing about 2 years ago, it's killing us inside but we carry on with life because Mom's not doing too well keep thinking about it, she's the only girl" Sam said

"How old is she?" Mercy asked

"She's 16 now" Sam said getting all sad about it

"What do you think happened to her?"

"We've tried everything, she doesn't respond, we've been on the news asking, leaflet dropping, looking ourselves everything, we've been to crack houses, parlours, paedophiles' properties everything and no joy. Dad mentioned the D word about four months ago and Mom flipped so we can't even mourn her. I really don't want to think about not seeing my little sister again but, with every day that passes it becomes more real" Sam said

"Sorry" Mercy said, ' _sitting opposite her Sam would have thought she was apologising for asking him the question or the loss of his sister or something but in Mercy's head she was saying it just case, and there was a very likely possibility, she may have been the one to stamp his sisters fate_. "I hope you find her and she's well" she told him

"Lighter note" Sam said sitting up and drinking the last of his chocolate "I'm in the football team, I play the guitar and I sing quite good I think, have been known to bang the drums a little too" he said laughing "I've never had a girlfriend and no, I'm not gay just choosy, she has to appeal to me you know be the real deal not superficial like most the girls here"

"You're looking for Miss doesn't exist" Mercy said

"Oh she exists alright, my future depends on it" he laughed

"Come on Sam, get real, even the most perfect girl has flaws"

"I didn't say flawless I said she has to fit physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, history don't matter shit, I just need somebody for me you know?" he asked

"You; Mr. Evans, need to be careful what you wish for" Mercy said laughing

"So what do you wish for Mercy?" Sam asked

"I've wished for a hell of a lot in my short life but, sitting here now I guess, someone real you know" she said looking around the café "Someone that can stay the distance with the ball of fire called Mercy Riley"

"Real, Fire, Distance; I hear that" Sam said looking at Mercy until she felt herself blush "You didn't tell me about you" Sam added after the comfortable pause in the conversation

"So where you heading career wise?" she asked

"Oh I just need to get to MARVEL don't care how I do it but it has to get done" Sam said excitedly

"Where's that?" Mercy asked not having a clue what he was on about

"Maybe in LA or somewhere exciting like that" he said looking up in the air, obviously dreaming on it

"Where do you plan on going?" he asked

"UCLA" Mercy said, that being the only University she had ever heard about, that she remembered just then

"To do what?" he asked

"My drinks finished and we agreed one drink yeah?" she asked before carrying on to say "That story's for another hang out session" as she picked up her coat and put it on "Thanks for the drink Sam, James is coming for me any minute now; bye" she said picking up her bag and leaving the café as Sam sat watching her leave, before he remembered he meant to ask something and ran out to her

"Mercy; singing club will you come tomorrow after school?"

"I'll try" she said as James pulled up and she opened the car door before turning to say "Yes I'll come see your little club" and jumping in the car as James waved to Sam and drive off

"Everything went well?" he asked as they drove off

"I didn't tell him anything if that's what you're asking and I know the script" she said getting defensive "You didn't tell me his sister was missing" she added staring at James who gave no response

"Your first HIV results came back today, your clear, there's another one in like a month, speak to Sally about it" he said and the rest of the journey was quiet bar the music on the radio

"When's this trial thing coming up?" Mercy asked out the blue one day, it had been 2 months since she had been placed in protective custody, which was fine, on the one hand, because everyone was being nice to her, she'd been bowling, café, fayre, pictures with Sam, everyone was treading super light for her to get over this dead family of hers and James had said something to Sam that she wasn't privy to but things were cool between them. But she'd been sitting still for far too long, she craved for a man's touch so much she was visiting the bathroom at school to get off. She would have made moves on Sam a while back but Sally asked her to be mindful that she didn't make him a player in her game, and she hadn't cleared for STD's yet, she didn't trip she knew Sam was a virgin and she'd be cruel to use him that way he was fast becoming a friend, more than a friend if she was honest with herself. Singing club was a fun place to hide in, she'd go in seek Sam out and sit there most of the time never volunteered for anything and pretended to sing when they done group stuff.

"I told you we have to wait until they collect all the evidence they need there's no point in going after them with no evidence they'll be right back on the streets again" Sally replied "Just be patient Mercy"

"Hey every day's a bonus for me, its Demi, Kate and Sam I worry for, I don't want to invest and then leave you know" Mercy said

"You told them this placement was temporary didn't you?"

"Yes but I still want to say goodbye" she said looking at Sally "I don't want to be dragged off in the middle of the night in a puff of smoke" she said mimicking smoke exploding with her hands

"How are your sessions with Sonia going?" she asked

"She's talking to me a bit now, just sitting there for like two hours every other day was a real piss take but, we talk about stuff you know and she's kind of cool" Mercy said bouncing at the achievement of making a friend of someone older than her other than Sally and James "Not as cool as you guys though" she laughed seeing Sally's dead eye from the side.

"What are you doing today?" she asked

"Well I've got as far as getting to singing club so I'll, as usual, text James if anything changes" Mercy replied jumping out the car as it pulled up at school

"Mercy" Sam said walking towards her bringing a smile to her face "I got you a solo at club today" he announced

"You got me a what?" Mercy asked looking round at Sally who was smiling widely in the car before she drove off waving "You did what Sam?" Mercy asked horrified

"I notice you never sing when we do group things and, I figured that was because you wanted your own spot, so I got you one" he said pleased with himself

"Well you can un-get it, I'm not doing it" she shouted

"I knew you were scared" he said teasing her about it "They said you were maybe shy but, I've seen you fly so in my head I went for scared" he said laughing "How are you so strong about everything else and so weak about singing in front of a group of friends?" he asked

"Your friends Sam not mine" she answered

"Hey" Sam said stopping her from walking to look in her eyes to say "They got you're back, their our friends" he told her "Don't dis people like that it's not nice"

"Okay my bad, I'll do this one song, for you Sam just one song" she said hugging her books and she started to walk towards the school entrance with Sam beside her

"You two an item?" some guy asked making them look at him but neither Sam or Mercy answered watching him pass before looking at each other and laughing

"You okay with hugging yet cos, I so want to hug you?" Sam asked her, she took about four more strides before she fell into his side as they walked and he threw his arm around her shoulder "Tslolam (I understand)" he said as she smiled to herself _'I think you really do'_ she thought as she snuggled in under his arm the perfect fit. "We'll meet at break to get a song together yeah" Sam said stopping outside her classroom, as she nodded a yes before he watched her walk in. Sam went some way down the corridor before jumping in the air and doing a fist punch for his great achievement "Mercy Riley Mllte 'ampi (agree touch)" he shouted at some random guy walking down the hall

In no time it was the dreaded performance time and Mercy stood in the girls bathroom sweat dripping from her, heart racing like no bodies business and feet sticking firmly to the floor _suddenly Mercy was back there in that room waiting for some damn punter_

"Mercy" she thought she heard but her face wouldn't leave the mirror she was looking in, her memories flashing before her like some horror movie "Mercy; what are you doing?" Demi asked as Mercy looked down from the mirror to see herself clawing at her skin with her nails not quite making blood but nearly there "What are you doing girl?" Demi asked again looking at her wrist as Mercy re-adjusted her sleeve to cover the damage

"Stressing about this song thing Sam roped me into" she forced herself back into the now saying

"He sent me in here for you, he said come on you need to practice one last time. I think he just wants to hear you sing before everyone else does, he's hot for you girl" Demi said laughing

"Yeah right, we're friends, he's cool and he's got my back" Mercy said grabbing her bag and walking towards the door where Demi stood.

"You sure you're alright girl?" Demi asked lifting her jumper to see red marks on her wrist

"Yeah I'm sure" Mercy said giving Demi a smile and pulling her hand away before pushing the door and making her exit to find Sam stood leaning against the cupboard door waiting _'I swear the only thing stopping me from fucking the brains out of you is that fucking HIV check sheet Mr.'_ she thought smiling at him

"Those kawng menair (evil eyes) look a word I can't say to you" he said smiling back "let me hear the song" he announced

"If I sing it to you it would spoil the effect" she said laughing

"Okay which one of the two songs are you going to sing?" he asked

"Again if I peng nga (tell you) I'd have to tspang nga (kill you)" she said still laughing

"Okay it's performance time for you then baptism by fire" he said offering his hand for her to hold, Mercy grabbed his hand to follow him _Sam felt a bolt of lightning go through his body and wondered if it had passed through to Mercy he wanted to quickly remove his hand but it was fused to hers locked, welded, engaged, stuck. It seemed like he stood there for an age before he finally remembered they were supposed to be travelling to singing club and he turned in that direction still fused. In slow motion it seemed they travelled down the corridor and it seemed like a massive effort to jerk their hands apart as they got to the door_ "Good Luck" he said pushing her in and standing back for a few seconds to check for burn marks on his hands from the shock, surprised when there were none

Mercy fell into the room all she could think about was the electric shock she just got from Sam's hand _it wasn't really a shock more like a fusion she thought yeah like two things sealing together, it was profound, like floating but firmly on the ground, like I didn't have a fucking care in the world for those few, I would have said hours but, surely it took seconds to get here, there was definitely electricity in there somewhere_ "Thanks" she said as she walked into the room ' _and why was letting go so hard?'_ She said in her head, looking at her hands for signs of glue or something and found none

"Okay Mercy, you've been sitting quietly in the rafters for the past 6 weeks so it's great you decided to give us a song, we don't know if you can even sing" Mr. Edwards said smiling at her

"She's a bit shy Sir so we need to help with the chorus' you know" Sam said putting his thumbs up at Mercy

Mercy walked over to the guy on the electric piano and started playing her melody as she started to sing **'The Cure' by Lady Gaga** everyone looked around rocking to the music surprised at Mercy's voice, Sam was mesmerised just sitting listening totally blown away.

"Mercy that was fantastic" he went towards her saying as she finished the song "Where did that come from?"

"It what I was thinking, I never sing if I don't mean it" she said

"I'm not even joking when I say, you need to do something with that voice girl, it's good I'm talking Whitney good" he told her making her laugh

That night Sam lay in bed thinking on what Mercy had said about her meaning her songs, he was serious about his singing, song writing and performing he was sure of that, but no way did he fill it with passion the way she did she really felt what she was saying. There was no sleep for him just now Mercy was resting too heavy on his mind for some reason, she was always on his mind but it was just different today, what with the electricity and then that song there was something there for him to investigate. Sam got his Laptop out and typed in the few words he could remember of the song 'If I can't find the cure, I'll fix you with my love' pressed the first search find and that was it, at least he thought it was, but he knew for sure once he heard the chorus. He sat excited trying to make the song fit for them playing around with the words for a while before the pen then the paper dropped out of his hand as he fell asleep.

Mercy was laying in bed, thinking on her performance at club ' _Why was I singing about Martin today, he's the past, or is he?"_ she asked herself, _'yes you most definitely are Mr. pretending to love me'_ _she told herself_ ' _someone can fix me I just need to let them and stop being so damn scared about it, and why have you just popped in my mind Sam I am my loveable Dork, if I get you I'm fixed'_ she though as she caught herself moving in familiar ways "Is it sex I want with you Mr. Evans" she asked herself _"no girl you want to make love to Mr. Evans"_ she thought hugging into her pillow and falling asleep

"Mercy, Mercy" Sally said shaking her out of her sleep

"What's up is it the court date?" Mercy asked

"No your final test results have come back" she said waving a letter in front of her. Mercy jumped up and grabbed the letter and ripped the top open before looking at Sally "Good luck girl" she said

"It's not exam results" Mercy said seriously

"Do you need me to leave?"

"No, I need you to stay" Mercy said holding on to her "Here goes" she said pulling the letter out and opening it "Does that say negative or positive?" she asked, showing her the letter

"Negative girl" Sally screamed as they hugged it out "But girl that don't mean you can jump on Sam remember his feelings and everything he's going through"

"Don't sweat it we're nowhere near that yet, he's gonna have to put some work in" she said giving her a high five "I got to get dressed now" Mercy said jumping up out of bed as Sally left the room. Once Mercy was dressed she was down the stairs and on her way out the door when James called her back

"Toast, at least girl" he said pointing to the tray of toast on the table

Mercy grabbed two slices and waved them as a goodbye as she went to the door "Don't forget Sam's bringing me back tonight in his new car" she shouted as the door slammed

At about 1p.m. Mercy got a text asking her to get home as soon as possible, she went to Sam's class and called him out, there was an activity going on so he asked to go to the bathroom and went out to her "What's up Mercy?" he asked

"Will you take me home?" she asked

"Yeah sure, but what's up?" he asked again

"I'm not sure until I get there" she replied and they didn't speak again until they were in the car "I might be leaving" she said not looking at him

"What?" he asked swerving the car

"Sam" she shouted touching the steering wheel "I might be leaving" she said again once he straightened up

"Are you going back to that guy, the one you were singing to yesterday?" he asked really needing to know, he'd woke up thinking about it again this morning

"I wasn't singing to him Sam" she said before adding "and I'm sorry but that subject is closed and, no I don't have feelings for him not like that anyway and, definitely not like the electric that passed through us yesterday" she said throwing caution to the wind

"You felt that?" he asked

"This conversation can't happen I might be leaving" she said closing it down as they finished the journey in silence "Thanks" she said stepping out the car before he could get round to open the door "and Sam I'll say bye before I go, I promise; you better get back to school" she said looking at him for the longest while before turning to go into the house as Sam sat watching her go in.

"I'm never going to see you again am I?" he asked but she didn't hear him, he didn't mean her to "what?" Sam said as he watch Mercy get dragged into the house "that was not Mr Nichols" he said getting his phone out and calling his number but got no answer. He saw movement in the curtains and decided to move his car further down the road, calling James again he answered on the second ring

"Hi Sam you in crisis?" he asked

"No sir but Mercy's just been dragged into your house, I know you're against violence and I just need to know if I need to act"

"Our house, how do you know it's our house"

"I just dropped her off after she told me she needed to get home, and that she might be leaving"

"Okay Sam don't go in, those people are dangerous, someone is on the way, move away from the house"

"I have, is Mercy in danger?" he asked

"We're all in danger Sam keep away"

Sam hadn't been sitting in the car for 2 minutes after the call when he saw two cars rush up the road and stop at the house. There was some stand off stuff, conversation and the like and then gun shots started flying. Sam sat crouched in the car thinking Mercy's in there but he was much too scared to go in to see what was going on after his own drama. _He sat there remembering that morning when he had walked downstairs in his parents' home to find his 15 year old sister servicing two men in the living room "Sam get back upstairs unless you want to join in" she'd said laughing and he'd almost run to get back to bed the two guys being too big for him to handle. The following day he'd told his parents about her antics in the hope she would stop messing around and get a proper job, if she needed money, but the next day some Joe came to collect her and her belongings and she was gone. They got a letter from her about 6 months later saying she couldn't do the drink, drugs and forced sex any more, she was wrong and she wanted them to forgive her but she could only see two ways out and in both she was dead so she was going to determine when that would be and she was going to kill herself. His Dad and him, had driven to the location on the letter, getting there the same time as the police and, just like now there was a shoot out in which his sister, Sherone had been shot dead._ "Why do all the women I love die" he cried holding onto the steering wheel _he remembered standing looking at her lifeless body as his Dad tried to breathe breath into a body with half its head missing and the shriek of his Dad's cry as he realised his daughter was dead, he remembered his mother telling his Dad to shut up as he tried to tell her what happened and, she's done the same thing every time any of them have tried to tell her that Sherone has gone, she didn't even attend the funeral_ "Is that Mercy?" he asked nobody, as he now sat in the driver's seat watching this memorable horror movie play out.

 _Inside the house; Mercy went to open the door and found herself being dragged into the house "What's up" she asked as she felt herself being forced to turn around by her shoulders "Martin" she said when she focused on who it was "what are you doing here?" she said looking through the window to see if Sam had gone "Have you come to take me away from here?" she said moving away from the window because she didn't need him seeing Sam sitting there "I've been taken by the police" she said putting a smile on her face. She knew how to act the part she'd been doing it for 5 years "babe I thought I'd never see you again" she said falling into him "We have to go now" she said running upstairs to grab a few things when she saw the car coming from down the street "grab some food" she shouted down stalling for time, noticing Martin hadn't spoken yet so he was still checking her out_

 _"Here Mercedes now" he shouted back up the stairs "Now" he repeated_

 _"I'm just getting…. I'm here" she said stumbling down the stairs as the front door burst open and guns were all over the place shots fired and she curled up in a ball on the stairs refusing to move. Suddenly Martin was slumped against her legs_

 _"I've got to kill you or I'm dead" he said looking up at her with a gun limply in his right hand "Help me to kill you" he said before closing his eyes and taking his last breath and before Mercy could say anything Reid was there kicking him to make sure he was gone and signalling for Mercy to get up and go to her, which she did._

Seconds later she was being almost carried to a car outside and thrown in "I've got to see Sam" she said but everything just kept on moving "I need to see Sam" she said again and still nobody listened "Sally I need to see Sam!" she shouted and everyone stopped and looked at Sally

"We don't have time to go to the school right now Mercy" she replied "We need to get out of here we've been compromised"

"He's just there" she said pointing to the car down the road

"It's not safe Mercy" she replied

"I promised, I'd say bye I need to see him" he aid beg in her voice "We are not leaving without me speaking to him and I promised" she said pushing her way out of the car

"It's in your best interest to get back here Mercy, it's dangerous out there" Sally shouted after her as she ran towards Sam's car "Mercy you're putting him in danger doing that here, now" she said as a last resort, stopping Mercy in her tracks

She looked up towards Sam's car to see his face lighting up, tears in her eyes as she shook her head indicating to him not to approach her, as Sam put his hand on the door handle to release it a sharp breeze whizzed past Mercy's face, she heard glass breaking and turned to see where it was coming from "Get down Mercy get down" she heard as she instinctively hit the cold floor and looked up to see where Sam was. As she looked at him she saw him fall forward onto his steering wheel

"Sam" she gasped, no one would have heard her, then there was another gust of wind going past her back lifting her weave off her head

"Stay down Mercy" Sally shouted as shots were being fired from behind the car into the nothingness, Mercy stayed down _reflecting on the last shoot out she'd been a part of, she was on the toilet,_ _best damn place to be'_ she looked around thinking ' _What if the enemy gets me, I'm dead, I'm going to get killed looking in the eyes of the man I love, love where the fuck did that come from Ms Jones, check that shit'_ she thought looking up at Sam still slumped on the wheel "he's been shot" she said lifting her head up as she said it to get a better look

"Stay down Mercy" someone shouted again the voice getting closer, Mercy felt someone touch her as Sally's voice came to her saying everything was alright, Mercy sat up and hugged her for a short while before Sam came back to mind and she ran to the car

"Sam" she shouted as she neared the car but he didn't move "Sam's hurt" she shouted as she carried on running towards him "get help" she almost ordered as she reached him and opened the car door "Sam" she said as she checked the areas of him she could see and found blood on his head "He's bleeding" she shouted in a panic

"Reid have a look at him will you?" Sally asked one of the armed police that had assisted her "Are we clear over there" she shouted across to Armed officers who gave an affirmative

"It's a graze he's knocked out" Reid said pulling him up off the wheel and resting his head back on the pillow of the headrest about a minute later Sam started to come out of his unconscious state

"What's going on Mercy?" Sam asked as he started to come round and focused on her face

"I really can't tell you right now Sam but, when I can you'll be the only one I'll want to tell" she said as they waited for help

"Don't move" Reid said as Sam went to lift up to get a better view of Mercy

"I thought I was going to die again Mercy" he said touching her arm and surprisingly she let him touch her "I need to tell you something before I lose the guts or the opportunity, listen to me" he said trying to confirm he'd got her full attention

"Mercy we have to go" Sally shouted

"Hold that thought Sam I really have to go I just needed to see you were safe, and I promised to say bye didn't I?" she said moving away

"Will I see you again?" Sam asked

"In my dreams yeah" she said as she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, her lips fused to his cheek, they became hot, dry and wet all at the same time, her head spun making her grab him to steady herself as his hand grabbed onto the chair he was sitting on. Lights flashed as their minds thought nothing just basked in the experience of outer body they were experiencing

"Mercy" they heard and yanked themselves apart, Mercy quickly looking at Sally before looking back at Sam

"Please tell me you felt that?" he asked

"I felt it" she confirmed as she turned to walk away

"This isn't finished I'll find you, I'll wait for you forever" Sam shouted after her

"Bye Sam" she turned to say waving at him _'and I'll be waiting for someone like you, no you, for a lifetime'_ she thought as Sally forcefully grabbed her back into the car and they sped off as Mercy took her mobile out and tapped in a message to Sam

'I want to explain everything to you and hopefully one day I will' she wrote and sent before sending another one

'Please miss me' and put her phone away

"You need to give me that phone all ties must be lost from this place otherwise people can get hurt" Reid stated as Mercy took her phone out and gave it to her

"Captain we just had a shoot out but, one in the house we believe to be Martin but Lovejoy may have been outside as shots were fired at a civilian" Reid reported via phone as they travelled

"Is anyone hurt?"

"The Young guy she goes round with but he's not fatal" Reid reported before cutting the phone call off

Mercy sat in the car thinking about transportation over the years how they'd put them in the back of a black windowed Limo so nearly everyone they passed would look at the car but never suspect that they had young girls in there taking them to another house to be abused, beaten, drugged and even killed. She sat in the silence as Sally looked at the other officer in silence, looking back and telling the driver to go faster every so often. About 40 minutes later they got to a farm house type building, everyone hurried out of the car and into the small house, where a grey haired man greeted them, well everyone except her that is. Mercy was brought to a room at the back of the house and given some food and a drink and told to rest, she lay there listening to mutterings as a voice bellowed over them making her jump

"So what went fucking wrong then, why is she here?" the bellowing voice asked

"That fucking Martin was in my fucking house, that was not in the plan James could have been there, I flipped and shot the bastard. That wasn't part of the plan that wasn't in the agreement my family wasn't to be involved" Sally blurted out

 _'Did I hear that right, Mercy thought to herself did Sally just say she knew Martin was coming to kill me, but it shouldn't have gone down at her house'_

"Who sent them to my house?" she shouted and Mercy knew it really was Sally this time

"It was me I sent them they found me, threatened my family and I told them" another familiar voice said but Mercy couldn't place it "Well I had no choice you must see that" the voice said again

The bellowing voice answered back "There's always a choice Sonia, you chose wrong"

 _'Sonia, Sonia is this shit really happening, it's the fucking therapist what is she doing with Sally, Dean's racket is bigger than I thought my life is so over' s_ he thought flopping back on the bed in the corner of the room _'I'm never going to see Sam again'_ she said crying into the pillow on the bed for a short while "I need the bathroom" she finally shouted to anyone who could hear her, she knew they all could but it was Sally who came to sort her out

"What's happening, how long we got to be here?" she asked

"I'm just about to get hold of the boss and get you moved again" she replied not looking at Mercy as she spoke

"Martin's dead isn't he?" Mercy picked up the courage to ask

"Yeah and that's why we had to move because they found you, we have a snitch in our midst" Sally told her

 _'Yeah Sassy fucking Sonia'_ she thought as she looked back up at Sally "Have you got Dean already?"

"Yes" Sally said pointing to the toilet "Thought you were bursting?" she asked as Mercy went to the bathroom, she came out asking more questions

"Have you heard if Sam's alright?"

"Yeah he is he just had a head injury" Sally told her "We're going to another safe house just minutes away, we think everyone's out the way now" she smiled at Mercy saying

"We're going back then?" Mercy asked excitedly inside

"I am" Sally teased

"Where you go I go Mrs that's what you said and I trust you otherwise I'll run" Mercy said, Sally just looked at her and looked at her bedroom door indicating that she needed to go back in and she did

 _Mercy sat on the bed thinking about her life and how that chance meeting with Martin had changed everything for her, his charm, kindness, understanding and not forgetting his looks had her hooked from day one. He must have genuinely loved me first, no one could keep up that sort of pretence for like nearly a year he must have, he told me he did and made me believe it, how the mighty fall, she smiled, to find himself in a house begging the person, he supposedly loved, to kill themselves to save himself how selfish was that? Now I'm sitting here unable to trust anyone, hating all men and needing them to survive because of you Mr. Martin, god I don't even know the surname of the man who loved me, why do I not know that? Does it matter because he's fucking dead now, and you're as good as dead Mercy Jones at least you know your own name girl'_ She said bringing a smile to her face. "Right a plan" she said to herself as she sat quietly scheming something up.

Mercy fell asleep planning, un-planning, giving up and finding hope, she dreamt about Sam as far as she could remember, and was woken up by Sally just before her explosive orgasm for the feel of Sam's mouth on her "Shit Sally" she said when she came out of her sleep "You made me miss it" she said under her breath her body still at fever pitch, if she had concentrated she could have done it but the picture of Sally standing there watching her brought bad memories and she abandoned the task and got up.

"We're going back to Eagle Rock, you need to go back to school but no more following instructions unless James or I speak to you okay?"

"Okay" Mercy said too excited to say anything else she was going to see Sam again, fixing herself and following Sally to the car

"We need to get our story straight for Sam, when you get back" she said as she started telling Mercy what she needed to say. Mercy listened and repeated what Tina said but her intention was to tell Sam the truth about herself, he'd taken a bullet for her and she wasn't about to leave him out the loop, plus there was this connection between them that made her believe he'd understand _._

"Sally; why would Sam have told James about this?" Mercy asked once they were in the car

"It's his favourite teacher he tells him everything" she replied, Mercy knew that was a lie Sam's favourite teacher was Mr. Edwards and his favourite lesson was Sports and then singing club but she said nothing

50 minutes later they were sat outside a high rise building with about 12 floors "We living in these flats now?" Mercy asked

"Yeah, if we get found here we'll have to move out of Eagle Rock all together" Sally informed her "We're on the top floor" she informed Mercy as they entered the block and made their way to the elevators. When they got to the flat it was a spacious 4 bed apartment that more or less covered the top floor except for the laundry room and emergency stairs that were at the end of the of corridor "this is your room" she said showing Mercy a room next to the bathroom "It's the smallest room but it's big enough for what you need and no boys, in fact no visitors" she finished "James will be bringing you to and from school every day no exceptions he'll wait if he has to" she added as an after thought

"Okay with all the rules" Mercy butted in thinking it was all too much "Martin's dead, Dean's locked up I don't think any of the others have the guts to come after me if they had to send little old Martin in the first place" Mercy said laughing

"I didn't see you laughing when those bullets were flying" Sally commented

"Neither were you from what I remember and, you left an innocent man out there to die" Mercy stated

"My priority is always going to be you Mercy" she looked at her saying

"I'm going to bed" Mercy announced leaving her standing in the living room "Can I get my phone back" she asked when she reached the doorway as Sally searched her pocket found it and gave it to her "Thanks" she said as she finally left the room


	2. Chapter 2

She barely shut the door before she was on the phone to Sam "Sam are you alright?" she asked as he answered the call

"Mercy I missed you, where are you, yes I'm fine didn't even get a stitch" he replied

"I'm still in Eagle Rock, back at school tomorrow, not a scratch on me either, I'm still alive Sam" she said laughing

"Mercy Oeng should tok 'awsiteng (we two should be together)" Sam said waiting for a response

"I mllte (I Agree)" she finally said

"nimun! (Again) Sam shouted through the phone

"I mllte (I Agree)" she repeated giggling "We need to do some serious talking first, Sla nga kin ne ting mikyun (But you need to listen) okay?" she asked

"Okay" Sam said "I couldn't tell my parents half of what happened, I didn't want my Mom banning me from seeing you and everything, taking me out of school even you know after my sister and everything"

"No news on that then?" Mercy asked sad like

"ni'ul tingay plltxe (More truth speak) he replied

"Okay" Mercy said somehow understanding fully what Sam meant "Do we need to miss lessons because Sally won't let you bring me home again?"

"Why none of that was my fault?" Sam asked

"No it wasn't she didn't say that, something about it not being safe for you" Mercy lied "Sam that was a lie but I can explain everything tomorrow honestly" she said feeling better for not lying to him

"Can we do all that tomorrow face to face Mercy I need to get back to the together conversation, are you saying it might happen, I need you to be real specific for me like baby steps" he said laughing nervously

"It might Sam but we really do need to talk first" she replied "I really just needed to hear your voice right now and make sure you were alright everything happened so quick" she said wondering if she'd handled that well "So, what are you doing now?" she asked changing the subject

"I'm actually doing my comic strip of today's events" he replied

"What drawing?" Mercy asked

"Yeah, MARVEL remember? my first favourite thing to do, instead of writing about it I draw about it and the best thing is Mom doesn't know what's fact and what's fiction so she's told it's all fiction" he laughed

"So Marvels about cartoons?" Mercy asked

"Yeah" he replied

"You got to let me see those Sam" Mercy said excited to have found something else out about him

"I will if you promise to skip some of the pages when I say"

"I promise" she said

"My Mom's coming I'll see you tomorrow" Sam said quickly

"Tomorrow" Mercy said and the phone went dead

Mercy sat on her bed taking in her excitement, remembering the night she planned with Martin to leave home and go to Vegas on their new venture, getting married, having children, the house everything she sat with her 15 year old self thinking _'I was going to get this perfect man that loved me no matter what'_ She smiled at the feeling that brought back, much like the one she was feeling now _'but, hold up if Sally's fake then maybe James is and he lied about Sam being a nice guy' "What the fuck am I doing getting sucked in again"_ she said before going back into her thoughts _'No he's a nice guy, and after everything that's happened I actually trust him, he took a bullet for me, there's something there'_ she tried banging into her head literally _. 'Then there's his sister what if she came through that fucking place and I actually judged her and because of that she was treated badly, what am I going to tell him I have no excuses I was looking out for number one in the biggest way. He's going to hate me, he's going to fucking hate me, but I need him'_ "I so want this to be real" she said closing her eyes, and cuddling her pillow fighting to get some sleep.

Sam was still on the together conversation in his head, _'she said we could be getting together and I'd really like that but I know I'm going to have to come clean to her about Sherone and all that stuff that happened with her, how she got pulled into all that stuff, how we went and got her out'_ "Shit" he rolled his eyes saying as he remembered _'A man got shot, I shot him, but he didn't die did he_ he justified the thought with _'and we took her all the way back home'_ he sat tears down his face as he remembered his sister _'And all I could do was turn and walk away, I wasn't up to fighting those two men, I'd thought, sitting on the stairs shocked listening "Dean's bitch was right, you're good" one of the men said and then I ran upstairs wishing I'd known who the fuck Dean was because right then I could have killed him and his bitch'._ Wiping tears as he remembered more _'Dad and I went in search of Dean that morning, a guy had turned up at our house and Sherone had left with him never to be seen again. Dad eventually gave the police all the information we had and a few weeks after that we got the letter from Sherone saying she'd had enough and she was taking the off train'_ Sam eventually came back to the now "How the fuck am I going to tell her that I've known all along that my sister was dead" _'The new lead the police have and this informant should close the case for us and that bastard will stay behind bars'_ he thought finally laying down in thought until sleep came.

The next day the enthusiasm that Mercy and Sam had about meeting up today had gone they were left with the reality of not being friends let alone together by the end of the day

"Mercy you ready for school?" Sally asked moving her mobile away from her face and covering the speaker "James" she said tapping her wrist indicating time was passing

"Ready Mercy?" he asked checking the time and jumping up, taking the lift and exited the building

"James why did Sam call you yesterday?" Mercy asked as they got in the car

"I'm his mentor"

"Mentor, what for?"

"That's up to Sam to tell you if he wants to" he replied as they buckled up and drove off, making the rest of the journey in silence until James pulled up outside the school "I'll give you an hour after school and then you come find me okay?" he asked

"Okay thanks" she said and she left the car to go find Sam, who was standing at her locker waiting "Hi" she said giving him her genuine smile as she walked up to him

"Hi, I'd have kissed you then but, I'm treading carefully" he said laughing

"Good call" she said laughing "I don't kiss" she said wondering why that was, remembering it was a rule from her Dean days and pulling Sam in for a short kiss "Or maybe I do" she said smiling as she let his Letterman collar go

"PDA" he said surprised "We gonna talk today?" he asked

"Lunch time and I have an hour after school, you okay with that?"

"Fine" he said as the bell went, he looked at Mercy for a short while before bending down to kiss her short and soft again as he smiled for her not slapping him off and walked away with her hand in his taking her to her class, smiling at the electricity passing between them "I'll see you later then" he said as he let her hand go and she went into class. He did his usual victory fist punch as he ran to his class before he was marked late.

"James" Mercy said down the phone when he answered "Mr. Edwards' asked us to attend singing club and I really need some time after that to speak to Sam, any chance of an extension?" she asked during first break

"Oh yeah that works out well Mr. Hart is off so I've copped for detention tonight, I was going to call you, see if you wanted to do detention" he laughed

"Ha very funny so it's okay then?"

"Yeah; see you at call it 6 prompt"

"Okay thanks" she said before killing the call and sapping Sam to tell him of the changes. He wouldn't get the message till he got back to class as he was doing football and that always went into this morning break time on a Thursday.

Lunch time fast approached as Sam and Mercy found a quiet place in the Small choir room to have their conversation "Mercy promise me you'll listen to everything I have to say before you blow or ask questions and don't judge me on this" Sam said sitting down on a chair he'd placed in front of the chair she was sitting on

"You do the same for me Sam" she said nodding to agree his terms

"I will, if you walk out even you promise to come back and hear everything?" he added

"Yes; you too?" she asked

"Yes" he said turning his chair backwards to lean on the top of it, as Mercy sat with her hands in her lap

"Okay" Sam said as he started to tell Mercy about the events that led up to 13 year old Sherone's demise. Mercy listened getting lost in some of the missing detail as she pictured what Sherone went through in the hands of her kidnappers. She was jerked back to reality when she heard Sam mention Dean and his bitch, she went to ask something but remembered the promise and sat back thinking _'Dean and his bitch that's me'_ Mercy listened as Sam described the effects on his family when they got her back, finding her in the living room servicing men and then the letter telling them she was going to kill herself. She cried real tears when Sam told her they were too late as in the shoot out she got shot in the head and died at the scene maybe in their Dad's hands but they were there. How his Mom had refused to hear the truth and the family were living as if Sherone was going to walk in any day, Mercy cried so hard Sam cried tears he didn't know he still had left. Once he'd finished crying he went on to tell how Dean had been caught and was awaiting trial, how he hoped that he got everything coming to him and the promise of his dream coming true as the police had a snitch that was going to spread his news all over the world, making Mercy cry all the more

"So that's where I am right now my sister's dead, Mom won't have it and the bastard has been caught" he said wiping his face of tears before looking up at Mercy who was still crying "So what's your truth" he asked when she finally looked at him

Mercy blew her nose and wiped her eyes before looking at Sam "Remember the promises?" she asked as he nodded "Okay" she said as she told him about the bullying at school, her loveable attentive boyfriend Martin all the romance, promises and then her leaving home, her introduction to the sex houses, and her life for the last 3 years.

She stopped for a short break and Sam knew she was struggling with something but he was not prepared for what came next. "I became Dean's right hand girl" he heard ring out everything stopped, his heart, his hearing, vision, smell everything he couldn't move the look of compassion on his face turned to anger, rage, hate as he got up and walked away from Mercy sitting in the middle of the room and out the door. Mercy sat crying on her chair she'd just lost her best friend, the love of her life, Sam and she deserved it she'd helped kill his sister, how was that ever going to be alright with his family nothing could come of this he'd done the right thing.

Mercy sat there for 10 minutes before she remembered dinner time was finishing and she needed to get to her next lesson. She touched the classroom door just as the bell rang and went to the lesson but she didn't hear a thing that was said she was too focused on Sam's face, the hate in his eyes _'he promise to come back even if he walked out'_ she thought perking up a bit _'only to tell you to fuck off Mercy Jones'_ she told herself bringing her right back down again. Soon lessons were over and she was sitting in the choir room waiting for Sam to get to club, just to make sure he was alright he hadn't answered any of her calls, texts or sapps and she was getting worried for him. Club started and he hadn't made an appearance Mr. Edwards asked after him but nobody had heard anything, Mercy sat through that numb too, when it finished she went back to the small choir room they had started their truth in to just sit. Opening the door she saw Sam sitting in there and held her breath for what was coming.

"Sam I've been worried" she said as she walked round to look at his face, he didn't say anything just looked at her "Where have you been you didn't come to club, I've been calling, texting, sapping" she said as tears came to her eyes "I was so fucking scared for you" she shouted at him but he didn't react he just looked at her as she sat on the chair in front of him "I promised myself I'd tell you the truth so here it is Sam I've lost everything I had to lose by the looks of it" she said looking in his hard, cold eyes

"I could sit here and say I was scared, maybe I was at first, but I quickly learned what I needed to do to survive and I did it, if a girl looked like they had something to live for I'd say they were good and pray for them like I prayed for myself every day that I made it to tomorrow, some would beg me to say no, not with their mouths we couldn't talk to each other but, they'd give a sloppy suck or not move for sex and stare at me willing me to get them killed and that was the alternative if I said no they were going to die. The ones I said no to would get fucked by some sick pervert and never make it to the next day believe me. I don't know your sister but if she was out there she either had a fighting spirit or she really wanted to please her man, they really mess with a girls head. But I'm the one that got away and I'm the one that's bringing that bastard down to his knees I'm here under protective custody and even if I die I want my day in court, I'm ready to die so no one else has to go through this at the hands of fucking Dean Lovejoy he is going to get a big fat dick up his fucking ass until he bleeds" she said angry gripping the chair.

"Survival?" Sam asked

"When the police raided the spot they'd left me in, there were about 40 girls in there and of those except the Madam I might have been the only one not drugged up. That's how far up I'd worked myself I became good at what I did mainly because I didn't need drugs; well I did I just refused to take them because, I was hoping my day would come. To tell the absolute truth I was hoping to get some of the girls to help me kill the bastards they just didn't leave them flat long enough, it's a 24 hour service you know"

"Would my sister have suffered?" Sam asked

"Sam we all suffered I was only 15, from a family with 2 children, I went to church every Sunday and what I really knew about sex could have been written on the back of very small post-it note" she said taking a breath before carrying on "Every single person there was a victim of exploitation, some of us even too young to recognise that. I'm still fucking wet dreaming about Martin for fuck sake, that's how far into your head they get. He was in Sally's house yesterday and instinctively I started packing to go with him, I hate him but, well you get used to the life style and I even crave the sex thing, my therapist tells me I don't work normal, so I guess I don't think normal" she said looking down at her hands.

"Have you been tested?" Sam asked

"Yeah I'm clear, done both" she said looking up at her last word

"Sherone tested positive on the second one, that might have been why she went back" Sam said looking at Mercy "I never told Mom and Dad that. She called me about 4 days before she died to tell me she had nothing left to live for but I didn't take it serious" Sam said crying into his hands

"I'm sorry about your sister Sam" Mercy said with tears rolling down her face

"I'm sorry you had to go through that" Sam said looking at her "You can't tell James we had this conversation Mercy he'll kill me no one supposed to know"

"I wouldn't and you can't tell anyone either" she said "Sing something for me Sam, I've never heard you sing on your own" she said smiling faintly at him "And after what you did to me in club, I think you owe me"

"I will if you will, we're both mad about this situation lets sing how we feel, because the alternative is we stop talking and I really don't want that" he said

"Okay after you" she said laughing

"Okay, Sherone keeps coming in my head just when I start to enjoy myself, in any way, I remember that she's not here and it makes me sad. We had a really good brother, sister relationship and well she was my little sister I should have been looking out for her and I suppose it's guilt that racks me and, it rests heavy believe, I see her laying there thinking nobody wanted her, needed her and I just want to scream I do. I can't share with my parents so I see James and he listens and yeah it takes the weight off sometimes so here's **'Hold On' by Chord Overstreet"** he said plugging his phone in and singing his feelings out to Mercy "I really loved her Mercy" he said crying into his hands and all Mercy could think to do was hug him, and he let her

"Your turn" Sam said a while later when he'd composed himself and sat back down

"God this is so random for me I've got all sorts going on in my head and strange as it is my family hasn't popped in once, I really don't miss them but I miss somewhere to call home, I've just been so used to doing things for myself and surviving, all the things that went wrong in my life started at that place people call home. Since I've been taken from that hell hole I think I've found an inner strength and I understand I need to feel all this hurt and confusion before I can step on the other side of my life, and I do hope to get there so I guess my choice is **'Even Angels' by Fantasia** yeah she was a biggie for me going through that shit" Mercy said as she plugged her phone in and went back to sing to Sam.

"Your flying Mercy, your just too low to see it but you are and I hope I'm on that other side" Sam commented as he hugged her making Mercy cry hard. Truth she didn't know whether it was the song, Sam's arms or the relief of someone else knowing that she was crying about but she didn't stop till she was finished, Sam held her the whole time.

 _"I love you Sam"_ she thought standing there in his arms, she wondered if she had said that out loud or thought it, she meant to think it but it was loud, he didn't move so it must have been in her head she said to herself hugging into him more, before letting him go

"So what happens now?" Sam asked

"Well my big thing is getting to court and if I get out of there alive then I'll start planning a life" she replied

"That's a pretty big thing for me too because then you can put that man behind you and look at me" he said smiling

"What?" she asked looking up at him

"Look at me" he repeated looking at her questioningly "The man you love" he said smiling "who loves you back" he added

"Shit you heard that" she said laughing

"Yep; oeny 'awsiteng srane (We two together yes?)" he asked pulling her to him

"Srane (Yes)" she replied as they went in for their first official kiss, just as their lips met they heard a familiar voice and moved away from each other

"Mercy come on it's time to go, I thought I told you to come find me" James said interrupting them

"Tomorrow Sam" Mercy said picking up her bag and leaving looking back at Sam as she reached the door

"Tomorrow Mercy" he said a bit deflated

Mercy got home had her meal and went straight to her bedroom, she didn't discuss anything with James and she wasn't about to with Sally either, she finally got the chance to look at her phone to find Sam had sent her three messages 'hi Girlfriend' which made her laugh 'I need that kiss' which made her lay on her bed and 'Mom taking my phone' a bit pissed that she couldn't talk to him but she was definitely going to dream about him. She sat thinking about how the evening had gone how he'd come back to her and, not only let her talk but listened, he actually said sorry for everything that had happened to her, even though she might have had something to do with his sister's death. She plugged herself into her headphones and flicked through her music to find her favourite song, put it on repeat and started humming "I'm going to sing this to Sam tomorrow, he loves me" she said as she let the soulful tune send her to sleep.

Sam had gotten into trouble for not informing his parents where he was going to be they had been really stressing over his late arrival, his Mom had been that angry he thought she was going to slap him but instead they removed his phone as he wasn't using it properly for twenty four hours, and sent him to his room. Sam turned on his TV and visited his favourite music channel as he lay on his bed thinking about Mercy's revelations of the day and his feelings for her that had never been questioned even when he was sitting there being told that she might have something to do with his sister's death. That might have been true had it happened the first time but she walked out of her own accord that second time and he was coming to terms with that being all on her. "Oh this is my jam" he said as his favourite song started playing "I'm gonna sing this to Mercy tomorrow, she loves me" he said as he lay listening to that and other music until he fell asleep

The next day they met at school as usual, Mercy negotiated the extra hour and got it and informed a sulking Sam at the beginning of the day "No phone" he said when she finished saying her piece

"God we'll have to actually talk more today instead of texting Damn" she said laughing

"Hey" Sam said pulling her into the nearby classroom "I need my kiss I was up all night thinking about it" he got out before Mercy laid one on him and he came out of it dazed "Wow" he said with his eyes still closed "you're a good kisser" before going back in for another making her laugh. Someone came into the classroom and they left sharpish.

"Mercy I've been looking for you" Sally said as they came out of the classroom

"What are you doing here?" she asked letting go of Sam's hand

"It's time we need to go back" she said "Say your goodbyes and meet me out front in 10 minutes"

"God Sam, I got to find Demi and Kate quick" she said pulling him with her and they made their way to her form classroom "they'll be waiting for registration" she said walking into the class to see them sitting waiting for her "Hi; girls I'm leaving, like now I can't really explain it right now but I can't say when I'll be back but please remember me because I'll remember you both you've been great friends thank you" she said hugging them in before dashing off with Sam leaving Demi and Kate looking at each other wondering if she was joking.

"Sam" she said as she got near the car and stopped to look at him wanting to take her time saying stuff to him "I love you, I'll always love you and if fate should let us meet again believe I'm dropping whatever I'm doing and I'm leaving with you but for now it's dangerous and I need to do this on my own, I miss you already" she said as she started crying and hugged him in "God this is hard" she said pulling away

"Mercy" Sam said grabbing her back to him "I love you and I'm going to find you wherever you are I'm coming for you" he said kissing her so long and deep her eyes were still closed when he finished

"Wow" she said as her eyes slowly opened "What a fucking memory" she said making Sam laugh as she walked away waving

That Friday night she went back to Dallas, she was held in a cell for the weekend with police coming out her ears, telling her to say this, do that, giving her attitude she wanted to scream "I'm helping you fucker" but she didn't her focus was on when Dean's people were actually going to make their move. Everything had gone too smooth, that dummy attempt at getting her made her chuckle, Martin was so amateur and she still hadn't worked out what Sally's angle was. She didn't have a phone so she couldn't contact Sam and on Monday morning just as she was getting all fired up to do her thing fucking Captain Clarke announced that her family would be there "I did not sign up for that and nobody asked my permission" she shouted to deaf ears. "This is Sam's nightmare all over again maybe that's my comeuppance getting killed in front of all my family, pay back's a bitch" she said rolling her eyes 'if I still believed in God I'd say a prayer' she thought

"10 Minutes Mercy" she heard at the door

She got down on her knees and prayed to God for cover, support, her life and Sam getting up only when she heard the footsteps approaching

"Ready Mercy" Captain Clarke said bringing her out of the unlocked cell "We had to bring you in before today because we were checking for bad cops but that's all sorted now" she said

"What Sally?" she asked

"Bad cops" Captain replied saying nothing else

Mercy felt like she was doing her dead man walk as she dragged her feet down the long corridor, plodded up the stairs and up through the mighty hole ending up in the courtroom where she heard lots of people talking. She dare not look up to see anyone, she didn't want to know that her family was there judging her on everything, or that Dean was there trying to manipulate her into not saying anything, or that the victim's families were there looking at her with contempt. The judge knocked the hammer which went through her like a bolt of lightning shaking but still standing, remembering why she'd told Sam she needed to do this, she straightened up and faced the judge.

She stood there for about 3 hours going through her ordeal from beginning to end, the solicitors asked some intrusive questions, which she answered, she cried, others in the room cried, some hissed at times and booed her but he pushed through her goal was to paint the dirty, disgusting, manipulating, scumbag picture of Dean Lovejoy and she was going to do it for all the girls if it killed her. As the 3 hours came to an end the judge decided the line of questioning could continue the following day. Mercy didn't look up at anyone she was too ashamed she just went back down to the safe place they had created for her, happy that she was still alive

The next day Mercy was back up on the stand answering more questions, giving more graphic accounts of events, crying, swearing everything, people didn't shout that much today and she was very tempted to turn to see if anyone was actually there at all but she resisted she didn't want to mess up.

She was done with cross questioning by lunch time and given the opportunity to listen to the proceedings from the cell directly below the courts, which she took up, she sat through Dean's version of events and even she could see the gaps in his story, she heard the story of a woman whose daughter had been taken by the gang, who had killed herself and thought of Sam and his sister. Mercy felt like she was sitting watching a play out of someone else's life not her own how could this much have happened to her in her short life. Where the hell does she go from here? How could she really think she could have anything resembling a life after all that, who was she kidding _'Sam's a fucking pipe dream idiot, you'd be abusing to take that lovely man and turn him into something like what? those other bastards'_ She thought looking at the screen to see Dean's face "You did this to me" she shouted at the screen as her life stood still for a while with the realisation of her situation, she was brought back to now by hearing 'Survivor' by Destiny's Child, being sung she looked around and smiled as a prisoner walked past her singing it, making her smile "I'm a survivor" she told herself

On day three the judge found Dean Lovejoy Guilty as charged of human trafficking of over 200 girls found and causing the death of one, he was sentenced to 12 years with no parole

Mercy left the police station ready to face the consequences of her actions, and her family "Merc" she heard at the bottom of the steps looking down to see her brother, Mom and Dad waiting for her, she walked slowly at first not knowing what to expect but once she saw the smiles her steps got quicker as she fell into her brother's arms and was instantly crowded by the rest of the family everyone crying for her life and joy because she was back "your so brave" her Mom said kissing her on the forehead and hugging her tight.

"I love you all I really do and I really didn't know that until just now" Mercy said hugging her Mom

Mercy felt more than saw that she needed to turn round, when she did Sam was standing there, she left her family and ran to him "Sam, what are you doing here?" she asked as she hugged him

"Well I needed to ask my girl to the prom and your college application response came back and I thought we should open them together" he said holding his hand up with the results envelops in it. "These are my parents by the way and my little bro Paul" he added as Mercy said hello and shook hands "We've been at the trial all three days I didn't want to have to explain to them what was so special about you, and what makes me need to have you in my life I wanted them to see for themselves" he said laughing

"Would you mind coming over to meet my family?" Mercy asked Sam and his family

"Can I give you a hug first please?" Sam's Mom asked as she pulled Mercy in "You're the bravest person I know in the world" she whispered in her ear as they let go and smiled at each other before moving towards Mercy's family

"Mom, Dad, Tony, this is Sam, Sam Evans my boyfriend and his family, I'd like you to meet them he's a permanent fixture in my life" she said as she left them and went to hug Sam

"You told the story about your daughter?" Mercy Mom asked Sam's Mom as she nodded a yes "I'm so sorry, its Iris" Mercy's Mom said to Mrs. Evans as they hugged

"Jean" Sam's Mom replied

"She's accepted it?" Mercy spun round to say as Sam nodded confirmation

"Thanks to you" he replied

"They both have letters from LA everything crossed" Eric, Sam's Dad said to everyone, looking at Sam to open his letter

"Our letters" Sam said giving Mercy hers "Go" he said as they ripped them open

"I got into UCLA" Mercy said jumping high, I'm doing the Arts and Design" she said excited "that's what I really wanted" she said looking at Sam

"I didn't" he said making Mercy stop in her tracks

"You didn't get into UCLA?" she asked flatly

"No but I got into MARVEL" he said flatly

"Sam!" she shouted "that's what you wanted, we're both in LA" she said screaming as he got excited too and they kissed as if their families weren't standing there. "Isn't this just the best day ever?" she asked

"First day of the rest of our lives" Sam said pulling her in as their families walked away from the court house front steps.

Prom went well, the singing club had provided the music in parts and Sam and Mercy had sung a beautiful rendition of **'Super Human' By Chris Brown & Keri Hilson **which they thought summed up their adventures and, like a gentleman he walked her home afterwards and kissed her at the door. It had been four weeks since the trial and Sam felt Mercy was in an uncertain place emotionally, she was still having her flash backs on a regular basis maybe even more now the trial was over. Because of this he made sure they didn't have too much physical contact, more for her than for him, he spoke about their relationship in depth with James and his Dad regularly, however; Mercy and he were yet to have a conversation about things pertaining to the flesh.

Saturday night was the same as previous weekends, drinks at the Café followed by bowling and if they had time they'd go sit by the lake and talk with their choir friends and maybe do a bit of singing until curfew.

"So I'll see you on Monday" Sam said as he dropped her off

"Why not tomorrow? You did that the past few weeks too" Mercy replied

"I go out with my parents, the family actually" Sam replied looking at the ground

"That sounds nice what do you do?" she asked

"We err, we go to church" he finally got out

"Oh, are you a Christian?" she asked

"Not baptised yet and I don't know that I want to be but I have the values"

"Why did you never tell me that about you?" she asked

"You mentioned once you'd lost your faith and I didn't want to push anything on you"

"Sam" Mercy said disappointed "Not this week but one week I'm going to Church with you is that okay?" she asked as Sam nodded, before they went home

Two weeks later Mercy attended Church with Sam, she couldn't help herself it should have felt like a safe house to her she'd grown up in the church back home, she was in the choir but, right now she felt like she was in bondage, and was back in one of her flashbacks "Mercy" Sam whispered in her ear making her jump for his breath on her face "Mercy" he said grabbing her hand "Come on we need to go" he said pulling her to him, he almost marched her out of the church and some way down the road before he turned to look at her "You were with a trick in church weren't you? He spat out

"Sorry Sam it was all that submissive talk it flashed me back and I couldn't shake it, I'll try harder" she said as she looked at her hands and back at Sam. _This must have been really hard for him, it seemed like everything in her life was a trigger for some memory from back then they had gotten worse just after the trial ended but, they were just so random now_. Like Sam she was mortified that it happened in church on her first visit with his family, she could see Sam's patience was wearing thin, truth be known hers was too she needed this to be over so she could get on with her life with Sam. The conversation finished as it usually did with Sam being angry, Mercy calming him down and promising to try to do better in the near future, Sam generally gave in because deep inside he knew she'd need time to adjust and, his love for her was so strong he really didn't have any intention of leaving her, even if she never got over it.

As seniors they said goodbye to the singing Club and other clubs they were a part of and left school. The summer went fast as Mercy made more visits to Sam's church, they visited friends and even took a trip to Lima Ohio to see Mercy's family for the weekend. Demi and Kate had gone off to some cheerleading College that Demi's Mom didn't approve of but they were going anyway, it had been hard saying bye to them finally but they exchanged everything and made promises and went on their way.

Three weeks into the holidays Sam's family had plans to be away for a few weeks, they were going to visit his grandparents, attend convention with the church and his family and then the family had been offered a week long holiday with Sam's Uncle in Vegas, it had been a number of years since they'd all met up so they jumped at the chance. Mercy had been staying at Sally's house for part of the holiday but the bulk of it she was with her family so they saw each other the first three weeks of the holidays when they went flat hunting in LA found the perfect place on the second viewing and just looked around for the third day before returning home to Eagle Rock to spend the weekend together before they parted for 4 weeks.

Sally was no longer a police officer, she'd taken the pay and left, something happened around the shoot out thing that Mercy wasn't told in full, all she knew for definite was that Sally was home and she didn't go to sessions with Sonia any more ' _one day she'd get the courage up to ask what Sonia was doing at that cabin in the woods but, not today'_ she thought, as she sat waiting for Sam to come to the café. He'd promised to help her learn to drive this week and she was all for it, but in truth, it had been four weeks since she'd been on his lips, had his arms around her or looked into his green eyes without a screen being between them and she longed for him. She was still having flash backs but, Sam had took over a bigger part of her heart so, they weren't so regular and she was loving that because it meant they were getting closer, also more of her fun time was about Sam. These weren't feelings Mercy was familiar with but, she knew what she felt for Sam surely meant that things could move up a notch, her thought making her wiggle on her chair almost bouncing with excitement, I don't want to drive I want to .. "He'll understand" she said to herself as she looked into her cup

"Hi babe" she heard and turned to see Sam with his arms open waiting for her to jump into, and she did almost taking his breath away with the force she went in with

"Babe I missed you so much" she said unable to control the tears that now flowed out without permission

"I missed you too" he said holding her chin up to kiss her lips "It's been a bitch trying to get away I think they've been teasing me" he said laughing it off

"A week and they won't be able to do that for a while, so let them have their fun" Mercy said still hugging him as he pulled her up to him for another kiss this time longer "I don't want to move I missed this" she said with her ear on his chest

"I know but we're in the walkway" he said walking towards the table with her attached "I know I said I would take you driving today but we need to talk can we go to the lake?" he asked

"Yeah sure" she said pulling up off him to look at him but he evaded her eyes and pulled her coat off the bench she'd been sitting on and handed it to her while picking up her bag "Are we in trouble?" she asked

"Let's just go talk first" Sam said

They made the drive to the Lake in almost silence, Mercy had asked Sam questions on the journey but he had closed them down with short answers and no eye contact "Are we in trouble Sam?" she asked again making him look at her this time

"I don't think so but you might" he replied as the car came to a standstill and he went round to let her out, they walked to their tree and Sam spread the sheet out for them to sit, like any other make out or relax session they'd ever had there.

"Will you just say it Sam I'm getting really paranoid" she said when she finally sat down

"Okay" he said sitting down himself "We've never really ever had this conversation and I've spoken to my Dad about this and James, because it's been on my head for so long and it's been really hard for me but, I don't want to have sex with you" he said refusing to look at her

"Okay is here a reason for that?" Mercy asked looking for a reaction from Sam, which took a while but eventually he started to talk again

"I mean eventually I do want sex with you well, actually I want to make love with you but, at the moment I just feel like you're still in fuck mode and I don't want to be a part of that I want you to want me for me not because you need an itch scratching as you call it"

"Sam I do want you" Mercy shout whispered looking around as she spoke

"Mercy be honest please do you want me or do you want sex?" Sam asked looking at her for the first time since the conversation started

"I" Mercy said looking down at her hands and then back up at Sam "I want sex" she said defeated into her hands "I'm sorry Sam but sometimes I hurt so bad for it I cry" she said looking back up at him

"Have you ever said no?" he asked

"That's not fair I've never had the choice to say no" she spat at him "And I do want you I just crave sex, I have feelings for you Sam Evans I love you and you said you loved me" she said getting angry

"Why are you getting angry?"

"Because you're sitting there telling me you don't want me, how do you expect me to act?" she asked

"Like you understand that you've got stuff to work through before we can step this up a notch"

"What do you want me to do Sam, tell me what to do?" she said frustrated for the situation

"Okay let's research the difference between sex and making love, use what you can find books, films, music, the experiences of others anything but in 12 hours we're going to have this conversation again and see what we come up with" he said "We're both going to LA to do research subjects next week so we can start now today finding out what we are to each other" he said jumping up and asking for Mercy's hands with his hands and pulling her up.

He got her in the car, put their blanket away and got in himself "I do love you by the way" he said as he started up the car

"What?" Mercy asked, her mind on the assignment

"You questioned earlier if I loved you and I'm telling you yes I do" he said kissing her before putting the car in gear and driving away, Mercy resting her head on his shoulder as he drove along "Am I going to see you later?" he asked as they pulled up outside Sally's house

"You try stopping me, can we go see a film or something?" she asked

"We can do whatever you want babe but, will you think about the no sex thing and we can talk later, I mean what that means for us because I'm asking you to wait and I want you to wait for me to be ready as well as you to be in the right place on this"

Mercy went into the house eventually and straight to her bedroom, after her bathroom routine she was ready for anything, she'd chosen a dress for this evening, it was a rare thing to see but she wanted to give him a test run on this no sex thing so she was putting it out there. "You're going for the jugular Miss Jones" he said smiling as he saw her come out the house "You know how you look I'm not going to say it and build your hopes up" he said laughing "Get in the damn car" he said through his laugh as he held the door open for her and helped her up into the four by four. They took the thirty minute drive to the cinemas and sat outside wondering what to watch in the end deciding on 4th Man Out a comedy about supporting a friend following his coming out. The film was great they laughed, sulked, cried and laughed again at the emotional tail "that was alright wasn't it I didn't think it would be but some good acting" Sam said as they exited the cinemas. "What do you want to do now?" he asked as they got to the car

"I need to make out" she said smiling making Sam smile

"The Lake" they both said as he started up the car and drove off towards the lake, getting there 40 minutes later and settling in their place before starting conversation

"So the no sex talk" Sam said

"I can live with that Sam, I don't need it to survive and I have my games I play" she said looking at him wiggling her eyebrows

"Mercy, I knew you didn't understand what I was saying" Sam said as Mercy looked into his eyes searching "I don't want you to play your games either, I want you to totally control yourself in that way" he said grabbing her hand "I'm not trying to change you babe, well I am, but I'm trying to get you to see and feel me when we finally decide to go all the way"

"I don't know" she said pulling her hand away "You don't know what I've been through to get to where I am today Sam I don't think you understand what you're asking of me" she said looking at him

"I'm asking you to be sure you love me Mercy" he said "And I'm telling you that's what I need to feel before this goes any further" he responded

"Why are you being so cold" she said jumping up "You're not taking my needs into consideration at all Sam, what about my needs?" she asked before turning to leave "I'll walk home" she said as Sam watched her walk away

 _Damn Mercy don't do this I need you maybe more than you need me but, I won't be used by you or anybody else, I need you to know it's me inside you, I want you to be thinking of me when your body explodes and I want it to be my name you call when that happens. Not thinking about some trick and how they made you feel, getting off on one of your fucking high five day'_ he thought as he got up and shook the blanket out rolled it up and throwing it in the back of the car before jumping in to go get her.

She hadn't gotten very far down the road before he caught up with her "Mercy" he shouted through the window as he crawled beside her "Get in the car please" he said as he got level with her "Mercy please" he said stopping the car, just in front of her, and getting out to go after her. "Babe please get in the car I won't speak again if you don't want me to but, I can't let you walk home from here you'll be hours and in those shoes" he said walking in front of her backwards. He went to say something else but Mercy held her hand up to his face signalling him to stop talking and she walked towards the car, he opened the door and helped her in, got in a drove in silence.

"Okay I'll slow down gradually on the games and I'll tell you when they stop" she said after about three minutes of driving

"How often do you do it?" he asked

"About twice a day" she said not looking at him

"Okay can we get that down to once a day by the end of this week?" he asked and Mercy nodded "Every other day by the time we get to LA and then by the third week just once for that week and then I expect you to stop it" he said sternly

"Are you telling me what to do Sam?" Mercy asked

"Yes because I have needs as well and I don't want to wait any longer than I have to" he said "And if you really want me, as in Sam Evans, you'll do that for me" he finished

They barely kissed when Sam got her home she was still mad "Tomorrow" she said as Sam opened the car door for her and watched her go into the house

Mercy got in threw herself on her bed and cried thinking 'W _hy the fuck is he doing this to me, he knows what I've been through and how fucking hard this is going to be for me. I crave sex yes but that doesn't mean I don't want it with him, I do, I've told him this so many times, why doesn't he love me enough to believe me'_ She cried until she fell asleep. Mercy went down the worm hole again she was back in the den of iniquity about to explode on some John "God" she said jerking herself awake "Sam" she gasped "I promise I won't do that again" she said when she was fully awake. She got up and visited the bathroom for a cold shower "I need other ways to cope with this" she told herself going back to bed with her promise to Sam on her mind.

The next morning was filled with research into the difference between sex and making love, she was in the library until Sam sapped her 'five minutes café' he wrote, she copied her last quote and left the library

"So" Sam said as they sat with their bits of paper in front of each other in the café "Sex is something physical as you said it's a natural animal instinct and you don't care how the other person feels in most cases it's self-gratification in short, would you agree?"

"Yeah there are some other theories on it but in general that's what they say although there was one that said it was possible to make love as a one night stand" Mercy said looking at Sam "But I think I agree with your definition to be honest but, I also personally feel that at some point during the process love making or sex each person reaches that self-gratification stage"

"Interesting concept" Sam said "And making love?" Sam asked

"Is about having the feelings to go with it, you can make love for days without actually having penetrative sex apparently just by touching, feeling, sucking, licking, kissing, oral…." Mercy said smiling, looking at Sam's lips react at her words before he cut her off

"Okay" Sam said smiling back at her not taking his eyes off her lips "So seriously" he said clearing his throat and moving his eyes when he realised he was staring "Where do you think you are in the light of these two definitions"

"Truthfully" Mercy said, rolling her eyes upwards suggesting she was thinking about it "sex"

"Yeah that's what I think too and, I'm not lying when I say I'm in love with you and, I want you to be in love with me because I want the real deal remember?" Sam asked as Mercy nodded "I want to experience sex but I want it with someone I love and I know that's going to be with you when you get there okay?" he asked

"Yes" she said hugging him in before full on kissing him "I love you" she said as he kissed her back

"I love you too" he said when they came out of the kiss

"I had the beginnings of a wet dream last night Sam, I just feel I need to be honest about it" she said "But I woke up and stopped myself before anything went over the top you know and I did that by calling your name" she finished

"That's a result" he said air punching "One step for man one giant leap for Mercy" he said

"Okay next assignment, what does it mean to trust someone" he said

"That's a bit random" she replied

"As well as what it means to have someone's trust" he added

"12 hours again?" she asked

"No we need to know this by tonight when we meet up and then that'll be it then" Sam announced

"It's like 1 pm now what time we meeting tonight?" she asked

"8 pm" he said as he got up from the table having finished their hot drinks and Mercy followed

So after some together time they both ran off to go research about trust, for discussion later that day

At 19.45 Sam was standing on Mercy's doorstep, waiting for her to decide whether she wanted to stay in or go out for the evening "We'll stay in if you're okay with that?" she asked

"I'm fine with that, let me get my guitar" he said running back to his car and returning with said guitar

"Someone wants to sing" Mercy sang as he followed her into the house "Let's go in the study, I already asked Sally's permission" she said as she walked into the room with a large desk, sofa and chairs in front of the desk and one very large chair behind it. Books on every shelf in the room and pictures, of what must have been family members, hung on the bits of wall that didn't have books on, very old world looking

Sam was busy looking around as Mercy rounded on him and kissed him hard, he wasn't expecting it and pulled her in rough, he was definitely in the mood for some of that, he pulled at her clothes and she didn't resist or pull away for a while "Mercy" he said when he came up for air before pulling away with a smile on his face "You know where I need to go with this don't you?" he asked

"Yep so, I'm going to say stop" she said mimicking him and making them both laugh

"I have a song" he said as he took his guitar out the case and sat on one of the chairs by the desk "It's about Trust and I think it says if we really love each other, the trust comes naturally because you'd never want to willingly hurt the one you love"

"Truth" Mercy said as she lay on the sofa ready for his song

"Here goes then" he said as he started playing and singing his version of **Justin Bieber's 'Trust'** "so what do you think did I get the message across?" he asked when he 'd finished

"Yeah you did we have to be honest in our relationship otherwise it's worth shit" Mercy said smiling "I got a definition first which is, and I quote; reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence" she said nodding her head and I like that specifically because it mentions confidence as in being confident that the other person loves you"

"I see that, yeah I agree" Sam said

"But I want to give my example by film, hence stopping in, and I don't think we can do this over a night so maybe the next 3 nights; we need to go to the den for the TV" she said getting up, standing waiting for Sam to pack his guitar away before moving towards the door

"Now I've chosen this film to illustrate the meaning of trust from and to each other because I think it's such a deep film and the ultimate sacrifice from any individual to another, but I also identify with it for our love too" she said sitting down with the remote in hand pressing play to watch the first of the five part box set of Twilight.

"That was us when we first met remember the electricity?" Sam asked after watching the first part "And yeah I get the trust thing we need that" he laughed "But I'm not going to bite you"

"I already have it Sam, you took a bullet for me I trust you with my life" she said kissing him before turning back to the film "If I beg will you bite" she said playfully, making Sam roll his eyes

Once the evenings were set the week quickly came to an end and it was Friday, moving day, Sam and Mercy were driving to LA to move into their new flat. It was a 2 bed apartment but they didn't plan on having lodgers they wanted a music or study room or just plain time out space. They had the talk from their parents and guardians, who beefed up their credit cards, before sending them off to LA. Sam and Mercy drove up with all their worldly goods in the back of his 4x4 "We're going to play house" Mercy said all excited as the journey started


	3. Chapter 3

**Finally got my internet back sorry for the delay**

So 12 hours and four stops later they were in LA in their apartment unpacking and singing along to the radio. Monday came quickly and they were saying bye for the day as Sam went off to MARVEL and Mercy went off to UCLA. That first day was full of excitement for both of them, seeing new things, starting studies, meeting new people and going home to find each other there.

"I'm going to love these next three years" Sam said one day as they lay on the sofa watching Star Wars re-runs. They'd been to visit each other at study venues and met study buddies, spending an unmentionable amount of time in the library in the evenings. Concerned for the night travel Mercy's parents had sent money for them to buy the books so they could do more at home. They were adult about studies, making time for homework, study and research, some evenings they didn't really talk until it was time for bed, Sam's animation was taking off as a student from the onset of the placement he was buzzed.

4 weeks in and Mercy announced that she had stopped the games as she called them and they were having more contact nothing deep but Sam was visibly attached more and they looked more together.

"So" Mercy broached the subject one evening as they sat yet again watching TV "We've passed the love test and the trust one I hope, the games have stopped so where do we go from here?" she asked trying to move things along

"The subconscious I suppose" Sam responded

"What the fuck does that mean?" she asked sitting up to look at him "You keep moving the fucking goal posts Sam what's happening with us?"

"Mercy, my sister was a part of your old life and I knew her when she was my sister, the girl I saw sucking dick in our living room and walking away to her death with some Joe was not my sister, she had become this other person totally controlled by her abuser and she was involved in that for about 10 months. You were in it for nearly 5 years and I don't care what you say that control is still there if I told you to do something now you'd do it, just because I told you to, without thinking if that was what you really wanted for yourself because that's the way your programmed, I notice these thing" he said jumping up of the sofa to look down at her

Mercy reacted to his sudden movement by cowered away from him as he stood over her with her head down clearly not moving without instruction

"See, all I've done is stood up without saying I'm going to do it, and immediately you think you've done something wrong" he said making her look up at him "Learnt behaviour Mercy that's what I'm talking about, we need to get rid of it and this is for you not me" he said sitting back down beside her "Babe I'm never going to hurt you, you need to understand that, I love you, respect you and want you so damn much it hurts" he said holding her head up to look in her eyes "But we can't get started with you having thoughts of other people or me not trusting that you're not thinking of other people, I'm so fucking jealous"

"Jealous?" Mercy asked

"Yeah that my touch might make you think of someone else"

"That's your worry Sam?" she asked surprised

"That and the fact that I'm a virgin, I might not have what you need" he said looking shy for having admitted that about himself

"Remember we did the difference between making love and having sex stuff?" she asked as he nodded a yes "Well I learned from that I've never been made love to, I thought I had with Martin but I know now he was just giving me a road test for the job ahead, to sell me on so to speak. So when we finally get there it will be my first time too and I don't know what to do either, truth I don't even know what I like I mean really like in bed"

Not long after the conversation Mercy sat thinking on what Sam had said, his perception of her mirrored what she felt inside and he was right she wasn't ready but, she needed to get ready so she sort help from the University counsellor who managed to get her referred to a Psychiatrist to help her deal with her issues. Six months into therapy and Mercy was feeling ready, Sam was paying her more attention and the relationship seemed to be moving quickly towards the next level.

So it was a kick in the teeth when Mercy received the text from her brother about her young cousin Tesla. Tesla was maybe 14 now, Mercy hadn't seen her for a long while but the last mental picture she did have of her was that she was a mini her, plump, big front teeth, booty and lips to match, the only difference being Tesla was outgoing as a child and Mercy was the opposite

What do you expect me to do about it? she sent back to her brother

"You know these people go and get her before it's too late" he wrote back 10 minutes later followed by "Everyone is expecting you to do something this can't happen twice"

"I've got my life with Sam now, I've worked hard to get over that life I can't go back" she wrote sitting with tears rolling down her face for her cousin as well as herself

"Please Mercy, Uncle James is flipping seriously flipping" he wrote sending a picture of Tesla on the Sapp, Mercy hugged her phone and cried

Mercy was still in that curled up position when Sam came home, he thought she'd fell asleep that way and went to pick her up to put her to bed when she jumped at his touch making his eyes go a deep green for what she could have been thinking, as he pulled way

"What were you thinking then Mercy?" he asked as he sat on the sofa next to her

"I'm thinking about me back in that life, I'm thinking about what their fucking asking me to do Sam, about losing you about losing myself, about being selfish" she shouted as she got up off the sofa "I'm thinking they never did any fucking thing for me ever, so why should I throw everything away for them, I'm thinking is that all they think I'm fucking good for, what the fuck do they think I am, how fucking dare they and above it all I love you" she said standing in front of him shaking

"What's happened?" Sam asked looking up at her, as Mercy passed him the phone to read the texts and sapps her family had sent. "Who's Tesla?" he asked

"Read on" she said still upset

"You're not doing this" Sam said as he read through the texts "Mercy you are not doing this" he said as he looked at the picture of her cousin "You've got another Sapp" he said handing her back the phone

"Tell them to leave me alone, tell them you won't let me do it, make them leave me alone Sam please" she cried not wanting to open the new message and handing the phone back to Sam, who pulled her to him with the phone still in her hand, she willingly sat next to him as he took the phone and they looked at the message.

It was a video message from her Uncle and Aunt, a very emotional message asking her, begging her to go back in and find their daughter before it was all too late, Sam and Mercy sat looking at the heart breaking plea for help, Mercy crying and Sam getting angry "I won't let her do this, she's still getting over her own stuff, call the police" Sam wrote then they waited for a response.

"Who is he? Tesla is your blood" came back

"This is so fucking unfair" Sam shouted throwing the phone down

"Tell me what to do Sam, tell me" Mercy sat crying at him saying, over and over again

Sam went into fight mode "What are we doing here are we just playing house because I thought we were committed to each other, you think your just hurting yourself by giving in to this guilt trip they're putting on you but, your hurting me too, why are you trying your best to push me away?. We're both scared Mercy, but I feel like you're ready to run right now and trust me I want you to stay because I think we're worth it and I know you do too, don't let this defeat us" he said grabbing for her, hugging her in. "I can feel you pulling away from me making them win, Mercy is anything I say going to make a difference at this point, if I tell you how much l love you and beg you not to do this, will you listen and not do this, for me Mercy?" he asked tears running down his face

"You shot a man for your sister Sam, to get her out, you shot a man" Mercy said pushing him away

"I know I did Mercy but I'm scared for you, she went in again and never came out losing you will kill me" he said clinging onto her "All the work we've done to get away from this undone with one text, I hate that damn phone right now" he said doing a small laugh for how pathetic he sounded "Don't leave me Mercy" he said crying some more "What about Uni you're doing so well" he said holding her away from his chest

"We get holidays in 3 weeks" she said defeated "I've got to do this I've got to bring Tesla home, and save myself, this might be the last of my healing process Sam" she said looking up at him for encouragement

Sam just pulled her back in thinking _'it could well be the last of you_ ' but saying nothing. They eventually sat back on the sofa listened to her Uncles message again as Mercy wrote back "I'll see what I can do" lay back in the sofa and showed Sam before pressing the button to send. Sam got up and went to their room at the exact moment she pressed the send button, leaving Mercy alone with her thoughts. About 30 minutes later Sam came out of the bedroom with his pillow and a blanket

"I'll take the couch" he said with no emotion in his voice

"Couch?" Mercy asked

"Yeah, I'm taking the couch, you're going to start having your dreams and feelings again and I don't want to be there" he said

"I'm not I can keep them separate Sam" she tried to assure him

"Mercy you just picked sleeping with other men over me, what the fuck do you expect?" he said one of the rare moment Sam ever showed her his real anger "I'm not sleeping with you and I don't need you to touch me either" Mercy said nothing she just put her head in her lap and cried " _that was not what she was picking she was being held hostage emotionally between and rock and a hard place and she had hoped he'd understand having had to rescue his sister before, did he have a choice then? I don't want to be here I want to be with my boyfriend ready to make love, my body aches for him and now he starves me of even contact does he know what he's doing to me"_ she thought

"Sam you're being so unfair" she said when she stopped crying "Starving me of physical contact is like throwing me at other people please don't do this" she said as calmly as she could

Sam wasn't used to reasonable Mercy in any fight, it stopped him in his tracks as he looked at her, really looked at her for a few seconds as he put his bedclothes on the sofa he expected to sleep on, and sat down "Babe" she carried on "me doing this doesn't mean I don't love you or that I've chosen anything or anyone over you, I still want you so bad but, the family have me over a barrel, and what was that all for in court if I can walk away with my cousin's life at stake. I've been given another life and I intend on using it for good and to love you" she said laying on his arm "please don't give up on me babe I love you, and I'm coming back for this spot right here"

"What if I said I thought we were ready" he said trying not to make the laugh come out but it did

"I'd jump on that but, I'd still have to try to rescue my cousin and I swear I'm finding a way to do this without sleeping with anyone, I'm going all the way to the top on this babe, don't go mad but, I need to speak to Dean" she felt Sam tense as she spoke "I also need to go see Captain Clarke because I need some help"

"Tinay, eo tslolam sla oe raa pxel it (Truth, I understand but I don't like it)" Sam said "Don't speak about it to me, it's hard"

"Feelings" Mercy said looking at him "let's sing it out" she said jumping up out of his arms as he watched her move to the middle of the floor

"I really love you Mercy and I don't want to lose you, promise me you'll come back to me" he said as he got up and grabbed his guitar to sing to her how he was feeling, he started strumming and sang her **'Then there's you' by Charlie Puth** "Say you want to be mine" he said when he finished the song

"I so want to be yours, I am yours believe that" she said going to him for a kiss "I love being here" she said as she hugged into him "Okay mine is something like that too" she said putting her phone in the pod and pressing play as she started singing **'I know' by Monica** "that's how I feel" she said when she finished the song as Sam hugged her

"Safe to say no one wants to split up then?" he asked

"Very safe but I have to do this, I couldn't live with myself" she said grabbing her phone to call Clarke, Sam sat listening to her make arrangements to meet up for some discussion he didn't want to know about, once Dean's name was mentioned he was up and in the kitchen doing something and nothing. He came out about 40 minutes later with something to eat for them as they sat and ate talking about everything except her cousin, as Sam had requested no conversation about the pending situation she was dealing with.

Over the next few weeks Sam moved back to his distant stance but, Mercy put that down to him not wanting to be involved in the whole get Tesla situation. It was the weekend before she was due to go underground to get her cousin back and she wanted to spend as much time with him as she could and try and get him to talk about how he was feeling. She'd just finished her meeting with Clarke, who'd come to LA to see her, after negotiations she'd decided she was spending the weekend with Sam starting with a surprise visit to MARVEL to maybe have lunch with him and arrange for talk time later that day. She needed to drop the bomb about being away from him for 3 weeks too, she really wasn't looking forward to that.

'What you up to?" she sapped him

'Chillin' he wrote back

'Where'

'Art room why?'

'Nothing' she wrote back making her way directly

Mercy stopped off and brought two hot chocolates and cookies, wanting to lighten the air between them, before carrying on to the offices, up the lift and through the long corridor to the art room Sam always worked in, she didn't think to knock the door, she never did she just walked in and stood frozen as two pairs of eyes eventually looked at her standing in the door

"Babe, what are you doing here?" Sam asked walking towards her as Mercy backed away

"Don't" she said as he went to touch her "just don't" she said almost throwing the drinks at him before turning and walking out the door not bothering to wait for the lift to exit the building she took the stairs and took her first breath once she was outside. She stood wondering what she must have looked like, but not being able to stop herself from panicking and crying in the street "Okay" she said calming herself down and breathing through her mouth "Okay" she said slowing herself down "You can do this " she said to herself as she heard a familiar voice in the distance

"Mercy wait" Sam called as she walked faster, before she started running

She ran for the longest time, beginning to understand the release that Forest Gump must have got from his months of running in the film, she just needed to not see Sam kissing another woman _"What the fuck"_ she said to herself when she finally stopped running. "This is not happening to me why am I always checking for these fucking fools" she said as she flagged down a cab, took out her phone and called Clarke "Captain, I'm willing to go in now I changed my mind" she said into the phone "I'm getting a taxi back to you" she said putting her earphones in after the call to listen to **Chrisette Michele's Goodbye Game,** hoping to calm herself down "Bye Sam" she said crying hard into her hands all the way to Clarke's hotel, from which they made the journey back to Dallas.

Sam was standing outside his place of work tears in his eyes and hurt in his heart when his phone went "What" he shouted into it knowing it was Captain Clarke

"You did a good job and we'll work this all out when she finishes the mission, we just couldn't have you on her mind she could get herself killed thinking about what you've promised each other"

"Well I feel like shit and I know I've lost her for this" Sam said clipping the phone off going back upstairs to get his things to find Sargent Reid still sitting there "Why are you still here?" he asked

"To help with any questions" she replied

"I don't have any, I just want to get the fuck out of here and never see you again, you shouldn't have kissed me" he said as he grabbed his bag and walked out

"Sam" she shouted after him "For what it's worth I'm sorry I know she really loves you"

"You mean loved" he said as he banged the door behind him threw his bag over his shoulder and made his way down the stairs as he put his headphones in and started humming then singing aloud **'Losing my Mind' by Charlie Pugh '** _ **Don't know why I wanna make it even harder, I'm not the kind of man to take the easy road, so much to do and not enough time, not enough time, oh I got, so much to lose, I'm losing my mind, I'm losing my mind, oh my mind. I'm sorry that I'm not there to give you what you want, I'll think about us some other time, and I'm sorry that I can't be the perfect type of man, I'll think about us some other time'**_ Sam sat on the bus wondering if Mercy would answer her phone if he called and what he would or could say. He didn't want to lie to her, their relationship was built on truth and now here he was conspiring with a lie so she could do something he didn't want her to do in the first place. "Damn" he said ramming his phone back in his pocket leaving the bus and making his way home, he stood looking around the empty flat wondering what life was going to be like without her

 _"I'm waiting for the fucking phone to ring again_ " he said to himself angrily, _'I swore I'd never do this again'_ he thought as he sat remembering his sister leaving him the note in his room that day which simply said 'I'll call you' he became attached to the phone from that day waiting for the come and get me or, help or anything just to say she was okay. He sat remembering the day he got the call as she told him she knew what she needed to do to get away, he was excited about it she'd actually seen the light and was coming home his Mom and Dad would be happy again, they could go back to living a normal family life, he'd get his little sister back again yes she'd been annoying but, not having her around had brought new feelings for her and he realised he loved her, like any brother would. His mind started to think deeper but he didn't need that right now especially with Mercy out there "Happy thoughts" he told himself jumping up to find something to eat.

By 10pm he was going out of his mind with worry for real, he called the Captain "what's happening with Mercy? Is she alright? Did she mention me?" he asked all at once

"Sam I am not going to give you a blow by blow account I'll call you when she goes in and when she comes out 3 weeks later, anything in between that and we have a problem" she said hanging up the phone

Mercy had been between cry and anger all the way back to Dallas, her eyes told her plain what Sam was up to behind her back, her mind convinced her he was just another player but, her heart was his and no amount of anger could shift that right now "I should have slapped him" she said slapping her thighs with both hands.

 **Meeting earlier that day**

She had thought about writing to Dean asking for a visit, telling him she was sorry and that she hadn't coped well with outside life, convincing him somehow that she needed to get back in but, she needed his protection and how she was up for making him some real money. But a reality hit her that he might just threaten to kill her if she showed her face at the prison or worse still, put a mark out on her. Clarke had assured her that Dean was a small time hustler in the scheme of things, he only dealt with girls in the country the bigger fish got them from overseas, Clarke had said his treats would be idol as except for Nico everyone in his crew were either locked up or dead. "So Nico can become my target?" she'd suggested down the phone

"No way he's too risky" Clarke replied "I'll see what I can do"

Mercy saw her only option as standing on the street corner and hoping someone picked her up and was about to suggest it when Clarke called her saying she might have an option but it was at a much higher pace than Mercy was used to, so they needed to meet and, she was in LA today. So Mercy went to meet her as requested to hear the master plan.

"If you're really serious about this it might work" Clarke had said as Mercy sat looking defeated

"I'm not willing to compromise what Sam and I have, remember" Mercy warned

"I'm not going to ask you to compromise your relationship" Clarke replied "Give me a minute" she said leaving the room and making a call to Reid before returning to speak to Mercy "Right I can get you in but it's at the top of the chain and this is the big guns they export around the world" Chief said, making Mercy's eyes widen with fright

"What, you mean I might be sent overseas, or my cousin could be overseas?"

"I don't think your cousin's gone yet you alerted us almost on the same day and we've been watching the boarders since, and I don't think you will either I'm putting you in as Special Agent Ransford's new girlfriend, he's been playing at it now for a while meeting our agent and passing information but now they want to actually meet his girl so you'll need to get familiar quick" she said as Mercy nodded seeing a light at the end of the tunnel

"How will this link me in with Tesla?"

"We'll show him a picture, you'll definitely go with him but, if he's seen her you'll stay in until he gets you to her and you get out. Ransford isn't part of the getaway mind he'll help as much as he can but he won't blow his cover for you, you get caught you're on your own" Clarke informed her

"When can I go?"

"Well you could have gone today but you insist on seeing Sam, he's a distraction that's going to get you killed, and all these restrictions he's put on you don't help"

"He didn't put restrictions on me, I want the weekend just till Sunday and I'll go in on Sunday" she got up saying

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to surprise him at work" Mercy smiled as she left the room

 **Back to present time**

 **Going back in**

 _Now I'm sitting here, Sam having surprised the hell out of me, waiting for Ransford is it? to come get me "What's his name?_ " she asked herself "I'm intimate with the man and I don't even know his first fucking name" she laughed "And you promised Sam no sex" she said scraping her hair up into a bun and putting the band that lived on her wrist around it "I won't do that any more, but for myself fuck Sam" she said out loud ' _No that just didn't sound right'_ she thought as the door opened revealing a well-built, fit looking, light skinned black male in tight jeans and a Nike t-shirt that looked like it was sown on.

"Hi Mercy, I'm Matt" he said walking towards her

 _"Familiar"_ she thought rushing towards him and jumping into his arms almost winding him "Matt" she said rubbing her face at the side of his _I could get very familiar with you if I wasn't in love with Sam_ she thought as she noticed he kept her attached to his chest

"Good, I like it, that was brilliant" he replied "She'll be a quick study" he said to The Captain as he held onto Mercy "Okay so you've had the brief and you can call me any affectionate name, anything that makes this acceptable and real is fine with me and, please embarrass the hell out of me, they expect that" Matt said encouraging Mercy "They did tell you about getting caught didn't they?" he asked as Mercy nodded her answer

"Shut up" she said as she watched his lips move tempting her to stop them "You haven't stopped talking since you came in" she said looking into his eyes, getting his attention before kissing him deep

"Your good" he said when she let him up for air "She's good" he said to a laughing Clarke

"Go get your cousin girl" Clarke said

"At this rate she's gonna get me first" Matt remarked making Mercy jump off him

"Did you not tell him no real touching" Mercy said looking at Clarke

"He's joking" she said "More than his jobs worth to sleep with you in the biblical sense" she laughed "But you make sure he has his job cut out" she finished as Mercy laughed with her

Let's go then, you ready for this?" Matt asked "It's gonna get rough from the off so remember you can act surprised but keep it on the low" he smiled "Just grab hold of me and dig your face in my arm or something"

"What about the picture?" Mercy asked Clarke who pulled out the photo Mercy had given her and showed it to Matt, he studied it for about a minute before handing it back, grabbing Mercy's hand and just like that the mission started filling the gaps in on the way to the venue.

 **The Mission**

So Mercy went in made a convincing Matt's girlfriend and made acquaintance with the girlfriend of Alfonso the boss man for the outfit

"Don't go home will you?" Claudette asked as she started picking clothes for her, get cleaned up and changed there "So you never said how you met Matt" she asked giving no opportunity for refusal

"In a nightclub actually I suppose I was the bravest that night I got close to him and somehow I just stuck he's a teddy bear" she said with excitement

"He talks about you a lot he just never mentioned you were…." Claudette trailed off

"What black?" Mercy asked "He's black" she said to Claudette standing there red faced

"Sorry I tend to spontaneously say what I mean, it's a condition I have to live with and I don't keep friends because of it, I'm really sorry" she said getting redder by the minute

"Its fine" Mercy said before adding "The fact that Alfonso's black and you're white shocked the hell out of me, but I don't have the condition" she said making them both laugh

That night they went out and partied hard according to Claudette, the next day Mercy went and got, well brought, some clothes and became a permanent fixture with Matt and his crew, actually Alfonso's crew, Fake boobs Claudette became a fake friend too. These guys partied every night and following that Matt, Alfonso and Shane would go check out their spots, on the sixth night Mercy made a bit of a show, pretending to be drunk and demanding to be with Matt everywhere, Alfonso wouldn't have it but the next day he allowed him to bring her with him as long as she shut up. Mercy took the opportunity to look around for her cousin.

It was hard walking into the familiar smells and noises of brothels, Mercy held onto Matt as he'd told her in the briefing and, prayed that her cousin was in the next cubicle so she could identify her and get the fuck out of this infested place called underground. "You okay babe?" she heard him say and nodded a yes as Alfonso looked on smiling at her behaviour

"It's not all party and pink things" Alfonso said to her as she clung on to Matt "Your girl need to live a bit, do you want her in?" he asked Matt nodding towards one of the rooms

"No way this one's all mine" Matt laughed

"That good?" Alfonso asked

"Good enough for me" he replied smiling hoping Alfonso would drop it

"Oh, my bad" he said holding his hands up as a sorry as they knocked fists and carried on walking through the brothel

"I have some newbies coming in next week Monday, the shipment is stuck because something's going on at the boarder so, they might as well earn while they're here" Alfonso said as Matt nodded feeling Mercy grip get tighter "they're too stupid to run so I'm going to put them in the Stephenson house, that one that used to belong to D, for the week, will you oversee that for me Matt?" he asked as they walked

"No problem" Matt said still walking

"Okay" Alfonso clapped his hands together saying loudly "let's get paid" as they walked back towards the front of house "Sue what you got for us?" he asked as they approached the Madam of the house

"Fonz business has been good" she said placing the metal tin in his hand, as he weighed it up smiling with her

"It has" he said passing the tin to Shane who took the money out and returned the empty tin "Give the girls an extra 20 for their efforts" he said as they heard an almighty scream come from one of the rooms with a door

"Domination" Sue said smiling "Always creates a fuss the customer likes it"

"I'll be back tomorrow" Alfonso said turning and walking out with his entourage following him

They got in the car and Mercy went into slut mode with Matt kissing on him and sitting on him generally making a show "What is up with you?" Matt asked laughing

"I didn't like that place but, I like the thought of what was happening behind those curtains" she said kissing on him more, she was actually telling a truth

"Seems like that's our place" Matt laughed when she let him up, as he phone buzzed "Alfonso" Matt said into the phone "Yeah she is" he laughed and put the phone down "Fonz said not on his leather seats" he said still laughing "Home Ste" he said to the driver as they carried on _'Game'_ Mercy thought slowing herself down

So on Monday the girls were delivered to Stephenson House and Matt was there for the delivery along with Alfonso and Shane while Mercy and Claudette played Human Traffickers Housewives, buying, trying and denying that life was as it was. For five more days her cousin wasn't there and that left her deflated

"I just thought it was going to be easy, I'd find her and we'd leave I really didn't think this through" Mercy said to Matt as they sat in his pad drinking juice. "I lost the love of my life to do this and well, now I'm sitting here thinking seriously it was not worth it" she said almost breaking down "it's a needle in a fucking hay stack and I'm running out of time"

"Calm down Mercy, we'll work it out, tell me about the love of your life"

"I'd rather not I think I want to keep the two lives separate and, I caught him cheating the day I started this" she said and a single tear came down her face "But my heart still belongs to him, and my body" she added quickly

"He's a lucky guy, I hope he knows that" Matt said sitting watching Mercy wipe her tears away

"If you knew him you'd know I was the lucky one" she said getting up to put her glass in the kitchen

"Captain tells me you sing, do something" Matt asked

"I don't have anything to sing" Mercy said shyly

"Anything you listen to that thing all the while" Matt said pointing to her phone "You must know something that can get you out of your funk"

"Okay maybe this one that's playing it's **'The Weakness in Me' by Keisha White** " she said before she plugged her phone in and started singing

"That was the bomb Mercy, you need to do something with that voice I mean it girl" Matt said as she smiled for his complement

It was Saturday night week 2 before they were informed that more stock was coming in "We're already full" Matt informed Alfonso

"Boarder control is a bitch, make them do shifts" Alfonso laughed "These are fresh so top dollar, Ste's dropping them off so be ready" he ordered

"Will do" Matt said closing the call down "he's under pressure" he turned to Mercy saying "He's becoming careless with his commodities" "More girls coming in tonight" he said, Mercy perk up

"Five minutes and I'll be ready" she said jumping up at the idea of finding her cousin

As Ste got to Stephenson house it became clear to Mercy and Matt why the batch were fresh, as Alfonso called them, they were boys. Mercy's heart sunk as the prospect of finding her cousin drifted further away "I'm going to sit in the car" she told Matt turning to walk back when she noticed her trainers, that she used to wear, with Rising Star on the left foot and Saving Grace on the right _I remember those she thought as she looked up at the face of the person wearing them. Martin had brought her lots of things for her 15th birthday, in his quest to make her value herself more following the bullying and stuff. "Babe I brought you these so you can run to me whenever things get on top of you" he'd said smiling down at her as she excitedly put on the Nike trainers and modelled them for him "You're going to be a star babe I can see it now" he'd cheered as she paraded around strutting her stuff. "You're my saviour Mart I love you I really do thank you" she'd said as she'd forgotten the parade and jumped into his arms already deciding that she was giving herself to him that day anyway. He hadn't asked her anything he'd just taken what she had to give and afterwards she felt totally his._ Mercy shook herself out of her memory as her eyes focused on the person wearing them, her eyes widened as she saw her cousin standing there in the midst of all these boys. She wasn't plump like Mercy remembered her in fact she was skinny, with short hair straight jeans and a Nike T-Shirt that looked like it had seen better days.

"These are all the boys, boss said keep them together" Ste said as he pushed them along

Mercy wanted to shout out she's not a boy but held it in, remembering her mission, as she saw three girls pulled out of the back of the stretcher looking scared and weak. "These one's need to get sorted before work and the Boss is advertising a boys night in tomorrow so expect lots of screaming" he said as the last of the delivery went into the house, Matt had a smoke with Ste and then went to hug a shaking Mercy.

"Matt my cousin is in there" Mercy said "she's dressed as a boy" she added "If I can get her out tonight I'm gone" she said walking past Matt back towards the house

 **The Getaway**

"Keep calm" Matt said pulling her back acting like he was kissing an upset Mercy "And don't approach her" he added as she hugged him in as Ste drove away in the distance. He got information from Mercy about what Tesla looked like and what she was wearing before they entered the house. Right I'm gonna give you the opportunity to get out with her but if Lynn asks questions or anyone sees you I'm going to have to deal with it harsh" Mercy barely recognised his voice when he said the last few words.

As they walked into the reception area Matt called out to Lynn "A lot of these are fresh especially the boys so they need breaking in for tomorrow, with women" Matt added "Ste said some were, virgins bring them to me I'll get them checked" he finished

"You're gonna check em Matt?" Lynn asked

"Their boys Lynn I'm not going to fuck em" he said laughing "I'll make a start on the boys, help you out, you get the girls sorted for later" he instructed

"As you wish" she said walking away towards where the girls had been sent

"I'll go get them" Matt said to Mercy "Go in that room" he said pointing to the room generally used for transferring money, Mercy went to the room and waited

About 10 minutes, which seemed like hours, later Matt came in with four boys and immediately made them face the wall. He called them one by one and done his body checks, which took about 10 minutes each and marched them one by one back to the main room until there was only who Mercy thought was Tesla left in the room with her. As he left with boy three he gave Mercy the nod, as soon as Matt left the room Mercy went into action.

"Don't be scared and please don't make any noise but I'm going to say something to you and you need to react if you know or understand it, nod if you understand" she instructed and the person she believed to be her cousin Tesla nodded acknowledgement. "You're thinking there's something inside" Mercy said

"Something different…. Inexplicable" Tesla responded

"I can help you understand" Mercy said with a smile in her voice

"if you'll let me" they both said as Tesla turned round to see Mercy her cousin standing behind her, going straight into a hug

"I cannot believe the fucking hulk has come to save me" Tesla said in excitement, laughing and crying at the same time "You don't even know how hard I've prayed Mercy you really don't, for a saviour, I was thinking of ending it all tonight I'd talked myself into it" she said crying into Mercy's chest

"We really don't have time for this right now Tes we have to go can you run I mean really run?" Mercy asked

"God will give us wings Merc, fucking wings" she said cry laughing "I do but I don't believe it, God actually exists" she said holding onto Mercy as if her life depended on it.

"Okay we need to go before Matt comes back so I mean now sweet, you got this?" Mercy asked "Remember we get caught and we are fucking dead, keep that up front yeah" Mercy said going to the door to check the exit "Come on" she whispered to Tesla who came without question "Do what I do" she said looking one more time before walking into the reception area and slipping out the door, with Tesla behind her. "Now run like the devil is after us" she said as they picked up speed not actually knowing where they were going to end up.

"Lynn did Mercy come to you?" Matt asked as he got back to the reception area and, looked in the room to find her missing

"No she was with you" she replied

"I went to take that last boy back and when I got back she was missing" Matt said going off around the house to look for her "check the rooms see if she's in any of them?" he ordered as Lynn reached for the remote control

Matt took about 10 minutes walking around the corridors looking and returned back to the reception for an update from Lynn "Anything?" he asked as she shook her head saying no "Damn it" Matt said looking really angry "I knew this was all too deep for her I should have insisted she stay home" he said before looking back at Lynn "did she go out the front door?"

"We don't have cameras out here sorry" she replied Matt punched the air and left the building saying "I did three of the boys you'll need to do the rest and get them ready for tomorrow night"

Mercy and Tesla had been running for a good 20 minutes, got to a park and stood under a tree trying to get breath before heading off again. "We need to get a Taxi, once Matt calls me" she said to Tesla as they gasped for air, they stood for about 3 minutes before her phone rang

"Mercy where are you?" he said concerned down the phone

"Matt I'm sorry I can't live your life, I love you but I can't do that I have to leave sorry"

"Could we not have talked about this babe?" he asked

"You wouldn't have let me go babe I know what you're like, I'll always love you and please stay safe" she said clipping the phone off walking further into the park and throwing the phone in the bin. "Taxi" she called when they got to the other end of the park

"Is he going to come after us?" Tesla asked

"No we did that because his boss has their conversations monitored so, it just gets him out the frame I hope" Mercy replied as they jumped in the taxi

25 minutes later they were sitting in Clarke's office giving information about houses and asking questions about contact with the family for Tesla "Yeah that makes sense" Mercy said after Clarke explained that it would be detrimental as a runaway, the only safe haven being with Mercy "But Mercy has nowhere remember cheating boyfriend" she said suddenly remembering the shit she had to go deal with now in LA.

"I need to maybe tell you something" Clarke said suspect as Mercy looked on "This is Sargent Reid" Clarke said looking at the door as it opened "Debbie Reid" she added as this woman walked towards her

"Hi Debbie, do I know you?" Mercy asked almost staring at her while she shook her hand "I met you that night I got picked up yeah?"

"I think so" Debbie said smiling looking at Clarke

"You do" Clarke said getting serious "And before you blow we had to do that to get you focused, you'd have been killed going in the way your mind was set"

"What are you talking about?" Mercy asked looking between Debbie and Clarke

"Picture a room desks, chairs, art, blond haired green eyed guy standing there brunette on his face" Clarke said as Mercy looked questioningly at her then a light came on

"You were the bitch kissing Sam" Mercy said jumping up at her

"Hey calm that shit down" Clarke jumped in saying "She was under orders from me and Sam was talked into it, we told him you'd die if you went in thinking about him" she said guarding Debbie "And I'm not stopping you from getting to her I'm stopping her from getting to you, she's my wife by the way" she said as Tesla pulled Mercy back to sit down

"So can we get out of here" Tesla asked knowing it wouldn't be long before Mercy flipped again

"Can I have my phone?" Mercy asked calmly as Clarke went to her desk and took out a dead mobile phone and handed it to her with a charger

"We'll send you back in a car" she said

"What, all the way to LA? Mercy asked

"Yeah all the way, and thanks" she said as she walked them to the door

"Well I'm not thanking your fucking wife, she needs to keep her fucking mouth to herself" Mercy said loud enough for her to hear her as Tesla pulled her away

Mercy got in the car when it arrived with Tesla by her side, plugged her mobile in to charge and hugged her cousin "Thank you for coming for me Hulk" Tesla said kissing Mercy on the cheek

"Did they do anything to you?" Mercy asked her

"Not really I got slapped around a bit but they didn't even know I was a girl, I just didn't speak" she said crying into Mercy's arm "I was so scared and all I could think was I'm going to die and by Day 15 I sort of said to myself I would determine how that was going to happen. So week 5 you know I was just looking for a way and praying to God that I had the strength to do it, I should know he'd never give me strength for that but I asked anyway" she said laughing through her cry

"Why did you dress as a boy?" Mercy asked

"It's how I feel always have and, I like girls, I just didn't know how to tell Mom and Dad, I really didn't want to see that look of rejection and disgust in their face I just ran away, dressed how I'd always wanted to, the next thing I know a lift turned into a slapping around, I was in a boot and then with other boys all looking as scared as me" she said crying uncontrollably

"It's over" Mercy said hugging her in "And your parents are going to love you no matter who you are" Mercy said as a single tear rolled down her face and they sat like that for a while until Tesla settled

 _Forty percent_ Mercy saw on her mobile now ready to come alive, as Tesla lay sleeping in the car, she made the call "Uncle just a call to say I got Tesla with me right now and she's safe, we need to lay low for a while but she's staying with me for the weekend, if you need to know where that is ask my parents" she said to the crying man on the other end of the phone with his only audible words being Thank you, bringing tears to her eyes yet again. Mercy closed the phone down but it started pinging like mad and she picked it back up again to find messages from Sam

Sunday – you're mad at me and I understand that but I still love you

Monday – I miss you so much that bitch talked me into this and I so regret it I love you

Tuesday – I'm so scared for you Mercy I wished I could hear your voice I miss you and love you, come back to me

Wednesday – God it hasn't been a week yet and I'm falling apart, I want you back now I love you

Thursday – This so fucking hurts I need you babe come back to me

Friday – I feel like I keep saying the same thing I'm hurting and I want you back I love you, love me back

Saturday – I'm officially dead, I've stopped drinking hot chocolate it's too painful I love you

Monday – I went back to MARVEL today, I so don't want to be here without you, you love me say it

Tuesday – I'm guessing, hoping you don't have this phone, if your still mad let me fix this, I love you

Wednesday – I'm sitting in your favourite place crying, listening to your grooves, I love you babe

Thursday – At this point I just want to fuck me into your head, I need you so bad, I love you

"What you doing Cuz" Mercy heard as she went to respond to the Texts

"Nothing just that idiot pinging off my phone" she said smiling to herself _he still loves me_ she thought "I'm gonna get some shut eye myself" she said changing her position to an almost laying down one, as Tesla closed her eyes again and went back to sleep leaving Mercy with her thoughts, until she fell asleep herself.

"Miss" Mercy heard jerking her out of her sleep "Miss" she heard again as she started to focus "this is the last stop before we get you home do you need anything?" the driver asked

"How long have we got left?" Mercy asked with her sleepy voice

"About another 4 hours Miss" he said

"We'll get there about 9 pm yeah?" she asked looking at her phone ' _Gosh I've been sleeping for like 3 hours'_ she thought as she flipped her phone open to read yet another message from Sam

Friday – I don't think I want to talk any more, I need you so much, just forgive me, I love you

"I'll see you very soon Mr." Mercy said to the phone as she clipping it shut, walking to the bathroom before opening it again to start up her play list and put her familiar ear phones in letting the smooth sounds of **Deborah Cox** singing **'Sentimental'** in her ear making her smile at Sam's love for her, she knew what he meant about needing her she needed him. It wasn't the usual need for a man, it was a need with no graphic expression, no flashback, no drifting between reality and fantasy it was what would it be like? kind of need, nobody else involved in that thought process just Sam and her. _She remembered the bolt of electricity that passed through them the first time they actually touched the way she felt when he let her go, looking at her hand for evidence of burn and finding nothing, agreeing with him there was definitely something there, days at the lake, park, café and kisses that had left her dizzy for him. Her heart knew she loved him before her head or her body got involved in the process, reality was she wouldn't be sitting here right now had he not been the main focus in her life. "Question is Miss Jones are you going to tell him or not"_ "Tell" she said 'A _fter I slap that kiss off of him'_ she smiled

"Tell what?" Tesla asked at the wash basin

"Nothing just thinking out loud" she replied, 'T _ap your fine self on the back miss thing, you went in thinking you loved and came out knowing you love, now you just got to prove this to Sam, knowing him he'll have another assignment for us to do lasting a freaking month, unless you think of something fast'._ She thought as they got back into the car making the last leg of the journey in record time.

Mercy got out of the car and stretched, turning back to instruct Tesla to get her bag they had acquired with girl clothes. She stepped into the building and took a deep breath, Sam would be in bed now and he had no idea she would be coming home. She got upstairs to find everything just as she'd left it even her night clothes on the chair and her slippers by the bathroom door, but no Sam. "Sam" she called out as she entered the study, to no reply "Where is he?" she said to Tesla

"I don't know I came in with you remember" Tesla replied laughing

"It's not like him to not be in, its way past library time, it's holiday and we have all the books anyway, he must have gone out with friends"

"Hot drink Tes?" she asked as she went into the kitchen

"Please" Tesla said falling in the couch "I'm really glad to be out Merc but I don't fancy this crap with Mom and Dad now trying to fit my round peg into their square hole, I've got to man up and tell them soon" she said grabbing the remote for the TV "Can I use your phone?" she asked

"You can but they already know you're out of that shit and safe with me so they may call in a bit" Mercy informed her

"I might wait for them to call, I don't want it to look like I'm bursting to throw this at them" Tesla confided

"Up to you sweet but I'm here" Mercy replied handing her the hot drink and placing the plate of cookies on the coffee table in front of her

"So what's the deal with you and Sam?" Tesla asked

"Love, its love and, we both know it but you know me and, I know him so we'll sort it out eventually" Mercy said brushing things off

"Auntie loves him, he eats all his greens, unlike us" she laughed "Although her cornbread is to die for" she said mimicking tasting it just then

"She don't tell me she likes him, much less loves him, she's always thinking we're too tight and it's unhealthy" Mercy moaned

"When it's time will you come back with me, to tell them I mean?" Tesla asked seriously

"Yeah sure" Mercy said hugging her in

"I love you hulk thanks again for coming to get me" she said

"Stop with the hulk thing, I know I'm still thick but, I threw all that real extra weight away a while back I can still do the face though" Mercy giggled "You're the one that's lost their booty and boobs what happened?" Mercy said before looking back at Tesla "Oh yeah the boy thing, are you happy?" she asked getting serious

"I'm finally happy with myself and I'd like to think I've grown enough to take it even if they don't accept me" Tesla said

"Baby girl's full grown, how old are you again?" Mercy asked hugging her again

"15 two weeks ago" she replied "How random is it that, this shit happens to the only two girls in one family"

"I think we're _just too bootylicious baby_ " Mercy sang laughing as the doorbell rang making them both jump

"That's new" Mercy said to the sound, getting up and heading towards the front door to see a camera view of the outside of the front door, light up on a small screen behind the door attached to two buttons "Who's this at this time of night?" Mercy asked nobody in particular. She pressed the blue button and asked "Who is it?" as a short stubby man responded

"Miss my name's Lenny I have a special delivery for flat 4"

"Okay bring it up and leave it at the door please" Mercy instructed checking the time

"You need to sign for it Miss" he said

"Post that through the door and I'll sign and return it to you" Mercy responded

"Will do Miss" he said before she pushed the green button to release the door to give him access, signed the paperwork and waited for him to leave the building before opening her door to take in the parcel, She noticed another panel on the wall but was bombarded with questions from Tesla which took her mind off investigating further.

"What is it?" Tesla asked as Mercy walked back towards the couch with the parcel in hand

"Let's find out, it hasn't got a name on do you think it might be a bomb" Mercy asked as Tesla laughed

"You've been undercover too long" she said making Mercy smile and proceed to rip the paper off the box

"It's a sketch book" Mercy said as Tesla looked on puzzled "It's Sam's for his work, he draws really good" she said flicking through the pages "Oh" she said as her eye caught something in the book "I don't think it's new" she said "He must have lost it and someone's returned it" she said putting the book aside and grabbing her hot drink that was going cold

As they sat watching TV and commenting on things they were watching trying to forget the drama of the day the door went again "It's like 11 pm who the fuck is knocking the door at this time, what the hell is Sam running here?" she said as she walked towards the door looking at the screen to see a distorted face staring at her. As the face pulled back she saw it was Uncle James, Tesla's Dad, "It's your Dad" she shouted back at her before pressing the buzzer to talk to him "Uncle"

"Oh good you're back" he said as a smile spread across his face

"Come up" Mercy said pressing the other button to release the door "I like this" she said as she opened the door ready for his entrance.

Tesla came towards her, in panic mode about her parents response to her news "Calm down, they love you" Mercy said holding her by her arms and almost shaking her out of hysteria

Then suddenly they were at the door and Mercy was opening it as family members came running through, Mercy's parents were hugging on Mercy, Tesla's parents were hugging on her and their brothers where fist punching the air. It was as if everyone heard the news but no one actually believed it until they saw it with their own eyes. "What are you all doing here?" Mercy asked

"We can go if you want" Tony said earning himself a slap from their Mother

They sat and talked for a while before the question was asked of Tesla "So why did you feel you had to run baby?" Ivy; her mother asked

Tesla looked at Mercy, who nodded her a go ahead, took a deep breath, closed her eyes slowed her heart beat down, ignored the giant 'No' in her head and calmly said "I'm a lesbian"

"And?" her Dad asked, waiting for the punchline

"And nothing I'm a lesbian, that's it" Tesla said

"Tes you changed from Dolls and pretty pink things to cars and Marvel magazines in a week, we've known you're a lesbian since you were like 8, what do you think it's something you can hide from us?. I'm pissed that you didn't feel we'd created the environment for you to tell us instead of the other way round but, it doesn't make me love you any less" Adrian, her brother said going to her for a hug "You're my baby sis, I'm always gonna love you" he said as she broke down in his arms and her parents joined in the hug


	4. Chapter 4

An hour into the conversations Mercy butted in "I hate to do this to you all but, I'm expecting Sam to come in soon, I haven't seen him for like two weeks and we parted with an argument. I just need the time to sort it out, so I need the space, I feel awful asking but he's important" Mercy said looking apologetic

"We're at the Millennium, so your good baby" her Dad said

"Somebody's lusting I hope that's protected stuff you're dealing with" Tony remarked

"Sam and I ain't there yet, not that it's any of your damn business brother dear" she said smiling pulling out of her hug with him.

Thirty minutes later and Mercy was sitting in the flat on her own waiting for Sam to turn up, _I'll have a bath_ she thought as she sat flicking through the TV channels getting fidgety, thirty minutes later she was soaking in a soothing bubble bath humming along to her tunes, loving the feel of the water on her skin wondering what would happen if Sam's electric fingers touched her now. She didn't know when she dropped off to sleep but she woke up because the water was cold, making her shiver as she jumped out to grab her towel and get warm again. Unwrapped her hair she'd tied up to keep it dry and sat drying herself on the bed. "I could just go to sleep now" she said looking at the bed, before deciding against it. It was like 2am and Sam still hadn't got in yet, it was Friday and everything but, he was still very much a home bird and never liked to be away from home too long. Mercy went to make herself a drink and watch some TV for a while in the hope he'd be in soon.

She sat with her drink in front of the TV flicking through trying to find something educational to watch, picked up a study book but decided that was much too geeky for a holiday Friday night and decided to sneak peek on Sam's art. She saw the usual pictures of action hero's, some drawings of her, his sister, her sitting in the flat at the table in the study room and one that took her breath, of someone she could only have thought to be her tied to a bed with knives sticking out of her body "What the fuck" she said closing the book for a second before looking at it again "What the fuck is he into?" she said turning the page again to find a mouth eating a severed penis, she wanted to throw the book but she needed to know what Sam was thinking and turned the page again _'That's what will happen to your boyfriend's dick if you don't show up'_ she read "What?" she shouted throwing the book aside and jumping out of the couch.

She stood by the couch as realisation hit her that Sam was in trouble and she needed to fix it, she flew back to the sketch book and flicked through the pages to see more _'You'll pay'_ she read on the next page "How the fuck does Dean know where I am?" she asked herself taking her phone out to call Clarke "They've got Sam" she shouted down the phone as soon as it was picked up

"I was just getting updated to call you" Clarke replied "The operation has been compromised, Matt has been taken and you have been traced the intel was given by an inside source here, who has just been apprehended" she informed her

"So what are you going to do?" Mercy asked

"We don't have anyone else we can compromise on the inside, we already know what they're doing and when they're going to do it" Clarke informed her "In the case of Matt we can only assume there was CCTV inside that house at the door and they sent it to Alfonso. You need to run Mercy go underground and stay there for a while until we can clear this up" she finished

"Did you not hear me I said they have Sam" she repeated waiting for a response, but none came "How are you going to help Sam?" she asked again to silence "So I'm on my own, is that what I'm hearing here, after everything I've given up to help you bastards, I'm on my own?" Mercy confirmed

"We simply don't have the intelligence to go after just Alfonso right now, and deal with that, we have 4 officers down because of the raids and that's our priority I'm sorry Mercy"

"You're right you're sorry" Mercy said cutting off the call, grabbing the book up again to continue reading the message _'with his blood'_

"Okay" she sat thinking for a second "Contact number, there's always a contact number or do they call me?" she said leafing through the sketch book and found one, she didn't know if it was Sam's or Dean's men's writing but she called it in the hope it would lead her to Sam. The phone rang for a few rings before someone answered "Hello this is Mercy" she said

"I guess you're calling about your boyfriend" the voice said

"What do I need to do for you to let him go, he has nothing to do with this" she said

"Grab a taxi and call me back when you got to the gas station on Englewood Main" he said and the phone went dead

Mercy ripped the contact number out the book, jumped up called a cab and got dressed thinking jeans, t-shirt and jacket would be a safe bet, tied her hair in a tight bun and put some trainers on, she looked at herself in the mirror "This is it girl you knew it was coming" she said as she grabbed her purse and left the flat "I'm gonna die today" she told herself as she stepped into the taxi "I don't mind I've been living on borrowed time anyway as long as they let Sam go, I'm good" she said taking a deep breath and sitting back in the cab before telling the cab where to go. She flicked through her play list as she put her all familiar plugs in her ears "Get your vibe" she said getting geared up to re-enter a world she would go to the end of for Sam "Yeah" she said as **'Lose Myself' by Loren Hill** came to her ears _**"Takes strength to absorb all the abuse I did, greater love to absorb all of the abuse I did, hey baby it's not an excuse I did, and I'd do it all again because for you I live, I had to lose myself, so I can make it better, I had to lose myself, I had to lose myself"**_ she sang as tears rolled down her face. She was going back in for real this time and hard.

A few hours later she was sitting at the gas station on Main calling the number again "I'm here, where to now?" she asked

"Okay but when I get there I want Sam to be released, and I'm coming quietly so I want to call someone to collect him just one person you have my word, is that a deal?" she asked "None of this is going down if I don't get a promise on that" she threatened "Manhattan Beach" she confirmed and closed the call down

"Captain" she said on her phone as soon as it was answered

"Wait a minute" Came back on the other side of the phone "Mercy" Clarke said down the phone a short while later "We've established they want you, we're trying to negotiate, we might have someone undercover"

"I've done all that I'm on my way to meet them now, they've promised to pass Sam over if I come quietly and I'm calling you because I expect you to get Sam out alive" she said reflecting on what she'd just said "I'm meeting them at Manhattan Beach in about 40 minutes, jet whatever get it up and get him I'm depending on you" she said and put the phone down

"I should be talking to Sam not you bitches" she said to the phone as she started crying again, brought back to reality by her phone ringing again

"Mercy Debbie's crew are going to get him, she's the best we've got, any message for him?" Clarke asked

"Tell him, no ask him if he believes I love him now and, tell him bye because I mean it I'm not sleeping with these bastards ever again" she said slamming the phone down so hard the back fell off, the battery lay on the floor of the car, she didn't bother to put it back together for a while, after passing the information to the cab driver and sitting back scared but coming to terms with what she needed to do. "I need to know when Sam's safe" she thought picking the bits of her phone up and putting it back together and, listening for a tone before putting it back in her pocket

So Mercy arrived 45 minutes later at the venue looking around as she approached she saw nothing and no one, she picked her phone up and called the number out the book again "I'm here" she said and waited for further instruction. She was directed five minutes away to some benches and told to go sit on them and wait "Not until I see Sam" she replied and waited for their response. There was a long pause before Mercy added "My person is coming to collect him and that's before you see me" she told them bravery coming from somewhere she wasn't familiar with. She sat for a few seconds while the person on the other side of the phone shouted obscenities at her and threatened to kill Sam there and then, she drove to the final destination, checked her phone to find no signal and got out the car, walking towards the bench as instructed. Suddenly she realised she had no bargaining tool, this was it they could kill her and then Sam or worse still Sam and then her, tears fell as she walked that last walk to the benches and all she could see in her minds eye was Sam's face.

 _"Where is your person?"_ she looked around the dark area thinking _"She's here, she has to be here"_ she closed her eyes making herself believe _"Just follow her lead that's what Captain said"_

As she got closer to the bench she saw two people walking towards her, at first she froze in her tracks as she recognised one to be Alfonso _'what the fuck was he doing in the middle of all this, why was he so concerned about what Dean's women did, seriously; did you just refer to yourself as one of Dean's fucking women, sort that shit girl'_ Mercy thought checking herself as she got closer to the two people walking towards her still pressing for signal on her phone _'God, I'm going to be killed today but, if it's not my time just find me that way out, and please keep Sam safe, I beg'_ she said internally looking up to the sky for acknowledgement. "She's a blond" she said shocked it wasn't Claudette, trying to keep her poker face on looking at the woman approaching _'Shit it's Chief's wife for fuck sake, how far up does this thing go?'_ she asked her internal self as she took the last maybe 20 steps towards the couple

"Where's Sam?" she asked not acknowledging anything else

"He's over there" the person she knew to be Debbie said, making Mercy look in the direction she had nodded in

"Sam" she shouted when she saw nothing "Sam" she said and he fell out from behind, the small building the others had come from "Sam" she said with relief knowing for the first time, in this ordeal, that he was alive

"Mercy, why did you come, you shouldn't have come they're going to kill you" he shouted before he was kicked to the ground

"Sam" she shouted after him "Tell them to stop hurting him" she shouted at Alfonso and Debbie

"Never mind him" Alfonso said as he walked towards her and slapped her to the ground then dragging her to her feet again, she could hear Sam shouting in the back ground but with the next blow everything went silent and black.

Mercy woke up in a large room, classic of what you might imagine to be a mob style tourcher chamber with a single chair in the centre that she was sat on, an unkempt Alfonso standing in front of her and another man, could have been Shane's brother, sitting on a chair beside her, Debbie was nowhere to be seen. She felt cold water on her face making her shiver as she shook off the excess and stared at the man on the chair that had delivered the ice water to her face.

"So" Alfonso said walking around her as she looked at her lap, happy to have worn trousers on this occasion "You're a cop?" he asked

"I wish, I'd have you wrapped up so fucking tight right now you'd be talking through your ass" she said laughing, earning herself another slap from Alfonso's man

"So why did you hook onto Matt, what was the attraction?" he asked

"Matt was attracted to me for your information and I ran because I didn't like the shit you guys were into that's not me" she spat back

"You left him because you didn't like his job, how shallow, you mean because you're a cop?" Alfonso asked angrily

"No, as I said because I didn't like what you guys were up to, especially with those boys, I wouldn't know the first thing about being a cop, I hate those people" she told him looking down at the end of the conversation _'where the fuck did that crock of crap come from, just stick to what you said in the last call with Matt or you'll be talking yourself into an early grave Mercy Jones, don't say anymore just shut the fuck up'_ she told herself as she sat waiting for Alfonso's next move

"Who's this Sam kid to you?" Alfonso asked

"He's my old boyfriend, we split up just before I met Matt"

"Rumour has it you're a Madam" He said laughing

"Rumours wrong, first I'm a cop, now I'm a madam, next I'll be a damn spy, in fact I'm a student and I don…." She went to speak as the door opened and Debbie walked in smiling _'Did you hear you tell yourself to shut the fuck up?'_

"Checked her out and she's nobody, she used to work for Dean Lovejoy but we know where he is now" she said as she walked towards the centre of the room where they were

"Why did Dean let her go?" Alfonso asked

"Too hot, but she was a good worker, cops involved all the time so, he cut her loose to keep them away" Debbie said looking at the man in the chair beside Mercy

"Is that Dean who used to run the Dallas line for you?" the guy in the chair asked

"Yeah; one of his tricks snitched him up good and proper, I had to drop him like a hot brick, he refused to speak and in return I left him alive" Alfonso said smiling at Debbie

"Okay, what we going to do with her" Debbie asked as the Man on the chair stood up over her

"Kill her I suppose unless you can find a use for her" Alfonso said looking at the guy with a smirk on his face

"I could maybe find a use first" The guy said laughing dragging Mercy off the chair and across the room with him. She didn't fight it she'd already decided that she was going to die and on her terms so at least she would get to bite a dick off before her fate and at most she'd kill him at the same time he got her. She looked back at Debbie standing watching her leave, she so wanted to shout help at her but her prayer had already been answered Sam had been released or had he

"Stop" she said jerking herself out of the man's grasp "Is Sam alright?" she asked, Alfonso just smiled making her nervy and Debbie's face gave nothing away, Mercy felt fear for the first time since starting this, Sam might not be safe "Did you keep your promise to me Alfonso?" she asked with eyes of a demon

"He was alive the last time I saw him" Alfonso said laughing, grabbing hold of Debbie and leaving the room

"That's no fucking answer" she shouted back at him but, he didn't answer her

"Shut up" The man said dragging her along by her arm roughly, as Alfonso and Debbie turned to watch her struggle aimlessly against him.

"Stop making me hurt you" he said to her looking back at the now closed door, Mercy looked up at him his tone had changed and his voice had softened and she saw the beginnings of a smile come to him

"This isn't going to be nice I guarantee it" she said shaking his hand off her which left her with ease

"This" he said pointing at himself "Isn't going to be anything I've got orders to get you out of here"

"From who?" Mercy asked

"The Captain" he replied

"God is definitely on my fucking side" she said looking up to the heavens "You know I promise; I get out of here and Sam's alright, I'm going to church for the rest of my life because, if I live through this my life is truly a gift" she said as the man smiled down at her

"I really can't tell you anything about Sam, he was with some thugs"

"He has to be okay" Mercy said as she started to walk again having noticed the this man was still on the move

Several hours later she was sitting outside her house again "I'm not staying here, he'll find me again" she said to the man she now knew to be Special Agent Walker

"He won't be out here for too much longer, we plan on wrapping this up this week and he's just admitted to two Agents that he was behind Dean Lovejoy's outfit, I think he's sewn up" he said laughing "You're safe here, they didn't pick Sam up from here" he said "plus the boss had security stepped up its fool proof" he said stretching across her to open the door for her to get out

"Are you telling me this is really over?" Mercy asked before getting out the car

"It's over girl go enjoy your life and, remember that church thing" Walker said as he drove away

Mercy stood looking at the building, wishing Sam was there, hoping he didn't blame her for all this, praying she didn't see that look of distrust in his eyes and needing him to just hold her. It had been so long since she'd actually just sat with him holding her stoking her face, arm or even just looking into his eyes god she missed those eyes, his mouth, his hands, laying on his chest at night she closed her eyes and tried to remember that feeling, oblivious to the people walking in the street until she was knocked by someone "Sorry" they said together as Mercy shook off her nervous and pushed the key in the door gaining access to the building.

She got to the flat opened the door and instinctively shouted "Sam" but got no answer, she searched the bedroom, bathroom, study and kitchen before surmising he wasn't there and flopping into the couch. The next thing she knew it was the morning and although she hadn't entered the house until 6am that morning she felt she'd had as much rest as she'd needed for now with Sam missing, she got her mobile out and called Clarke

"Sam hasn't come home and I was wondering did your man get him out?" Mercy asked

"I don't have any information for you just now Mercy and we're in the middle of a bit of a biggie at the minute I'll call you back later it might be very much later but I will and I'll keep an eye out for Sam" she said closing the call down

Mercy called his parents, her parents, Sally, his mobile no one knew where he was, her parents came over from the hotel absolutely distraught about the events of the night, her mother did some crying and ordered her back home, which she refused "I'm staying here its where Sam and I made our home and he'll find me here" she insisted. After a few hours and some promises Mercy was left at home alone waiting for Sam or news of Sam, refusing to break down until Clarke had spoken to her again she pottered around doing nothing, straightening Sam's books, refolding his clothes back into the draw, changing his toothbrush, getting him some clean sweats ready and finally jumping in the bath.

Following his ordeal he'd spent the night in halls with Mercy's friend Danger, mainly because Danger's face made everyone scared and secondly no one ever visited him because he was too dodgy. He'd been given some random message about Mercy saying goodbye, like that was final and refused to listen to it, resulting in him jumping out the car and finding his own refuge. The bruising on his body and worrying about Mercy had kept him up for the few hours sleep he could have got and he left Danger's crib before even he'd got up, he needed to be home for when she got there. Sam had walked into the flat put the kettle on and gone to the bedroom to put his sweats on for another day in with the TV saving his mind from wondering what was happening to Mercy. He had his T-Shirt over his head when he heard the door open and shut, pulling his shirt off quicker than he'd expected he looked at the bedroom door to see it still open as he'd left it. As he turned back he saw Mercy standing in the bathroom doorway, thought his eyes were playing him up and looked away. His mind questioned what his eyes had just seen he looked back to check himself and his eyes did a double take as he realised she was actually standing in the bedroom naked with a towel half on her head.

"Mercy is that you?" he asked making her stop in her tracks with the towel half wrapped

"Yes" she said, flicking the unwrapped towel behind her head, not bothering to cover herself up, she didn't want to wrap herself up anyway

Sam walked slowly towards her his hands reaching out more the closer he got, "Mercy I'm sorry" he said a smile coming to his eyes as he got closer "Forgive me" he said as he stood in front of her, Mercy slapped his face "I'm sorry I know I lied and hurt you and I promised never to do that" he said as Mercy delivered another slap to his face. Sam's lips thinned as his anger rose for what Mercy was doing "Stop fucking hitting me" he shouted grabbing her hand as she went to deliver yet another slap to his face, pulling her in as tears rolled down her face "I'm sorry" he said hugging her in and she eventually hugged him back and cried uncontrollably.

"I thought you were fucking dead, I'm sorry" she eventually said

"I'm not and, you don't ever have to apologise to me" he said pulling her in even more "I missed you so much but, can we stop talking now" he said kissing her hard enough for her to know he wanted more. When he collected himself he forced himself off her to look at her in all her nakedness "Do you have any idea how much I love you?" he asked not giving her the opportunity to answer before he was back on her lips with his hands roaming everywhere on her body. "I'm hoping you don't but you're going to have to stop me" he hungrily got out as he went down to grab her nipple in his mouth

"Yeah" Mercy said as she climbed onto his chest gasping at the feel of his mouth on her, arching her back to give him full access to her nipples, suddenly his hardness was searching for her wet, when she realised what he was trying to do she jumped off him, pushed him onto the bed and took him in her mouth. Within seconds he was ready to explode, Mercy looked at him as he peaked, his body looking like a well-toned muscle as his stomach muscles tightened, his hands guided her head harder and faster as his need grew, his facial expression was almost a smile as suddenly it seemed like every muscle in his body involuntarily flexed simultaneously as his hips thrust him deep into her mouth, he made a groaning sound a few times before saying "Mercy" just once. She could tell he'd gone to his place, he was at self-gratification stage and she didn't mind she needed him to understand that part of sex, he was a virgin after all.

"I wanted to be in you for that" he said sounding upset with himself

"That's okay babe we have plenty of time for that" she said as she walked off towards the bathroom to freshen up

Sam jumped up and put his phone in the pod, he wanted to play the song that had been going round in his head the past few days, reminding him of who, why and how he loved the way he did, as he pressed play and repeat on the pod Mercy emerged from the bathroom

"You're so random" she said as she listened to **'Closer I Get to You' by Beyoncé & Luther Vandross** blasting out of his pod, this time Mercy went to him reaching up and kissing him hard on the lips "You been listening to my grooves" she commented

"You been slipping away?" he asked

"Only to a place where you take me" she replied kissing him before he could ask anything else

"You're going to have to show me what to do" he said kissing down her body

"We're going to have to find where we are together Sam, love making all new to me remember?" she asked making him smile

"Okay, but I see what you mean about the self-gratification thing" he said before they both stopped talking and got familiar with each other's bodies, sounds, likes and dislikes ending eventually with Sam falling back on the bed totally sprung, for how many times he'd lost count, Mercy even more. "You're so fucking perfect, I'm in paradise" he said "I got a song" he said jumping up and stopping the repeat on the pod, I meant to sing you a song the first time I realised you loved me back in school and then all that stuff happened and then life just got rushed for us but, us being together like this just then brought that thought back to me and I really need you to know how I feel right now" he finished getting his guitar to sing an acoustic version of **'Won't walk Away' by Lemar** as Mercy lay naked listening to him singing with the biggest smile on his face.

"I love that thought, the feeling that gives me and I love you for it" she said when he finished "I need you now" she said cheekily, Sam couldn't put his guitar down fast enough.

Later that day they alerted the parents to his safe arrival, but there was no work for him the following Monday, and that led nicely into the rest of the week for them, which was filled with much of the same.

"Babe" Mercy finally said on Wednesday morning as they sat eating breakfast "I know you said not to but I need to apologise for what happened"

"I really don't need to hear it babe" he smiled "They told me you were in trouble and I didn't question it I just went with them without checking anything out" he told her "I'm just as much to blame"

"I was ready to die for you" she grabbed his hand saying

"And I for you" he kissed her hand saying as they finished breakfast in silence

"Babe I'm asking and I know I won't do anything about it but I'd just prefer to know" Sam said, jumping back on the bed after calling in sick on Friday "Did those goons touch you?" he asked

"No Sam nobody touched me Captain had my back all the way" she said kissing him before she remembered Matt "Oh I kissed Matt a few times he was my cover for getting Tesla back" she offered "Like acting stuff"

"Oh Matt he's cool he got me out and he told me about you, good actress I think he said" Sam said laughing "He didn't mention any kissing"

"Matt got you out?" Mercy asked as Sam nodded a yes "What did Matt look like?" she asked and Sam went about describing Matt as she knew him "He didn't die then?" she said laughing to herself

"He was very much alive when he kicked that big bastards butt and knocking him out" Sam said laughing "He just came from nowhere" he said jumping up to mimic Matt's actions for Mercy, flinching for some of his bruising still hurting "I sort of jumped out the car when he gave me some bull shit message about you saying bye or something I didn't want to hear it"

"I did send the message" she looked at him saying

"And then you said hi" he bent down to kiss her saying

They went on happily for the next few weeks getting to know each other at every opportunity and being happy. A bouquet of flowers were delivered to their building one morning when they'd gone off to their study. When Mercy arrived home she opened the card, attached to the flowers in the foyer by their box, which simply said _'To you with love'_ Mercy smiled as she hugged the card to her chest thinking Sam was fast turning into a hopeless romantic. _"Special dinner for a special man tonight"_ she thought "Yeah you got that right" she said.

Two hours later Sam came home to a romantically clad living room and a well spread dining table "What's all this for?" he asked with a smile on his face as Mercy gave him a hug and kissed him

"The flowers, you're so random I need to get used to it" she said smiling

"I'm glad you appreciate them" he said "I just don't want you to get bored of me" he said going in for another kiss

"Not going to happen" she replied hugging him as they walked towards the table she'd set.

"Where are the flowers?" he asked as they neared the table

"Oh I had to put them over there we couldn't see each other if I put them on the table" she laughed as Sam looked on quizzically before looking where she was pointing to

"I didn't send you those babe" he said looking at the very large bouquet of flowers on the kitchen counter

"Danny; we're still his target" she said looking horrified

"Hold up" he said "Stop" as Mercy did as he said and stopped her journey to the bedroom to hear what he had to say "We are not running" he said "We could end up doing this for the rest of our lives we need to deal with this little shit and get on with our lives. We moved here to get our education and, start our new life and that's what we need to do Dean can do his best, Captain said he didn't have anyone else out here didn't she?" he asked as Mercy clarified that conversation "So he's sending those orders via the prison we need to contact them and let them know what he's doing so first thing on Monday morning yeah, that's what we'll do"

"Okay" she smiled walking back over to him for a hug "I love you" she said as she squeezed him in

"I love you too but I'm hungry and I can't believe you cooked" he said laughing

"Well I took stuff out the freezer and warmed it up chicken and stuff Mom sent" she said

"Thank God for your Mom" Sam said still laughing

"Yeah" she said pulling away from his and slapping him lightly in the chest "Heard you was in love with my Mom's cooking before you were in love with me" she said making him laugh and pull her back in

"Not true, and you already know no matter what I'm always going to love you the most" he said kissing her nose "Your Mom can do her best, but you must admit her food's good"

"Yeah it is no doubt, but I can think of something better" she smiled

"Better?" he asked lifting his eyebrow

"I've just remembered my song, fitting really" she said springing out of his arms "That night after the conversation in the auditorium I went home and said I was going to sing a song to you too and then as you said everything happened you know" she said taking her phone to the pod and turning the volume up as she stood, "so I owe you a song too" she said "And seriously this is the song I was going to sing" she laughed "Oh" she paused to say "I needed to tell you too, well I was going to tell you on that day I came to your work" she looked at him saying "I sent out those demo's finally, but I haven't heard anything yet"

"Early days" he smiled "You got this"

"Okay here it is" she said pressing play before she started singing **'Collard Greens and Cornbread' by Fantasia**

"I'm better?" he asked smiling "I'm going to love proving that" he said pulling her in lifting her up and taking her to bed "I'll never hate you babe"

"Ain't that some love" she squealed as he grabbed her legs and threw them up in the air as she lay on the bed

Two hours later Mercy was up to asking him if he was hungry, only for him to take her again before falling asleep finally after the fourth time that night. It was about 4am when he woke up hungry, got up and went to find food in the kitchen, he sat eating his cornbread with some chicken when Mercy came into the kitchen "Can't sleep?" he asked

"I can but you're not in our bed" she said sitting in the chair next to him and picking up a piece of chicken off his plate "Am I not enough" she asked playfully holding the chicken up as if it was competition

"You are for my physical, spiritual, mental and emotional self babe but my belly needs food" he laughed kissing her chicken mouth

"I finally feel like free and loved Sam for the first time ever I think" she said taking a deep breath

"Feelings I know it's late but sing about it" he said jumping up and pulling her into the living room, with his plate in hand

"Okay I'm gonna choose **'Daydreamer' by Adele"** she said as she found it on her phone "That's what I was doing when we first spoke" she told him as she plugged it in and started singing, Sam sat mesmerised by her singing and the words of the song, only coming out of his thoughts when he felt her kiss him

"That's how I felt the first time I saw you, like you'd been there all the time" he pulled her to him saying, kissing her so deeply they ended up back in bed

The next morning Mercy was awake when Sam opened his eyes smiling down at him and kissed him before he could say anything "babe we need to find a church" she said

"What for?" Sam asked waking up a bit more

"I promised God I'd go to church if he kept you safe and got me out, he did so I need to go to church and, I know you stopped that for me, you shouldn't have, if you need to go back you should but I'm going anyway" she said all fired up

"I'd love us to go to church babe I miss it" he said sitting up in bed looking down at her now "But you do know once we commit all this has to stop" he asked

"All what?"

"This" he said jumping over her to rest on her chest, kissing and feeling on her

"I'll maybe agree to not doing it on Sunday mornings, before church but that's it" she said as they both laughed rolling around "If we decided not to go to church that week all agreements are off" she said while they were still laughing

"I'd prefer to get married quicker" Sam said making Mercy stop her laugh and look at him

"Married?" she asked

"Yeah that's the end goal yeah" he said

"Mrs Sam Evans, I like the ring to that" she said cuddling into him

"I love the sound of that" he said putting his chin on the top of her head with a smile on his face "Or is that Mrs doesn't exist?" he asked bringing back memories of that first date, not date, in the café

"Physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally if I remember rightly" she said

"See I told you she existed, I was looking right at you when I said that too" he said pulling her in laughing

"I told you to be careful what you wished for"

"I wished for you Mercy Jones" he said going in for a kiss

"Thank you" she said looking up at him "You saved me" Just then the house phone rang "It's like 6am" she said to Sam as he went to answer the phone

"Hi Sam" the voice said "Mercy"

"It's Sam" he said looking at Mercy "Hi Captain" he said listening some more "Yeah we got them, I'm not even going to ask how you managed to cancel mine" he said pointing at the flowers for Mercy to understand the conversation "Yeah we were" he said laughing "That's good news" he said "Yeah she's awake too, bye" he said handing the phone over to Mercy

"Captain, thanks for the flowers that freaked us the fuck out" she said when she got the phone "I hear Matt's still alive, why's it taken so long to get back to me?" she said laughing "You know what I don't even care Sam's home and that's gonna be my focus from now on, about Matt, tell him hi and thanks for sorting Sam" she said "Yeah we might be interested in that" she said looking at Sam "I'll let you know thanks and bye for now anyway"

"What might we be interested in?" Sam asked once she was off the phone

"Helping other people that get out of my past situation" she said looking at him

"Yeah I was thinking that, you're so bad ass at it" he laughed

"I'm sure you mean good ass" Mercy said looking at him

"Yeah real good ass" Sam said pushing her to lay flat on the bed

"Yeah everyone deserves their day in court with those scum" she said before Sam grabbed her top lip in his mouth

" Stop talking" he looked at her saying before kissing her neck "Clarification" he stopped kissing her to say "I don't agree with you putting yourself at risk ever again"

"I hear you" she laughed

Later that morning they got up got dressed and went to church as planned, they'd just got out of church when Mercy's phone rang, "Lucky" she looked at Sam saying when she heard it "I forgot to turn it off" she smiled as she took it out "It's a random number" she told him walking away from Sam and a man from church they were talking to "Excuse me" she looked at the man saying as she walked, Sam watching her as he answered this man's question, the smile on her face telling him something big was about to happen

"So will we be seeing you two next Sunday?" the man asked

"Hopefully" Sam smiled looking at the man to answer "Excuse me" he said giving his hand for shaking "I think something is going on, nice to meet you" he said holding his hand out to shake, the man looked at Mercy who was almost jumping in the air and smiled before shaking Sam's hand

"Something is going on" he laughed

Sam walked over to Mercy, her back to him, she didn't look round she just grabbed hold of him and kept saying 'Yes' down the phone, he stood waiting for her to finish the call "What's happening babe?" he asked when he saw her close the call down

"They want me to go to the studio to put something down, they must have listened to my demo Sam, and they liked it" she squealed as Sam stood smiling "You told me this would happen"

"You made it happen babe" he told her hugging her in "She just maybe got a recording deal" he said as he realised some of the congregation were standing around looking at them, everyone started clapping "Okay lets get you home, you need to scratch a song by..."

"Tomorrow" she confirmed

"Tomorrow" Sam said as his eyes widened "That's fine you can do that, I have every faith" he smiled "let's go" he grabbed her hand and made for home, they had lunch before sitting down and going through her list of favourite songs, each one Mercy found a reason why she didn't want to sing it "Online then let's learn a new one" he suggested

"I haven't got time to learn new songs Sam it's tomorrow" she shouted "Sorry" she quickly added catching herself "Just choose one for me" she said as Sam got up and went to their study room, about an hour later he came back out to a sleeping Mercy

"Babe I got one" he whispered in her ear

"You got one?" she jumped up asking

"Yeah I was playing one of your lists and I found this song, I remember Sherone loved it and truth it just spoke my life, see what you think" he gave her one of the ear phones saying as he started the song and they sat listening

Mercy sat remembering where she'd started from, _sitting in that classroom being jeered by her so called friends, falling into bad company and staying there for 4 years, making believe that was life, willing herself to stay alive, by any means necessary, because someone needed to suffer as much as she was and she was out to make sure that happened in her lifetime, she smiled when she foolishly thought she'd done it alone, understanding now that God was there all the time that's why she was here now sitting here with the love of her life, doing the one thing she'd have never thought possible_ "I didn't know" she said as tears fell down her face

Sam sat thinking about his sister, _she was gone he'd accepted that a while back but the hurt and hate for himself for not protecting her had stayed with him for long after. He'd held onto that as his punishment, his cross that even God couldn't shift, the pain of losing love, he'd sworn it would never find him again to cause such pain,_ he laughed. _Enter Miss Mercy Jones,_ he smiled looking at her, _allowing me to pick myself up, see a light I didn't know was still there, I wanted to be strong for me for her and I was_ "I didn't know" he said at the same time, tears streaming down his face as the words told him his life

"It's perfect" she said "I'll sing it for the both of us" she hugged him saying "And for Sherone"

It took a couple of times for her to not cry half way through the song but on the third run she managed it, and until after midnight she was walking around with music in her ears getting it just so "It's ready" Sam finally shouted after her fifth perfect rendition

"Do you think?" she lay on their bed asking

"I know, come on get in here" he shouted from the bathroom, as she did as told

The next morning Sam woke up to her practising again "This is the last time babe" she told him as she watching him rolling his eyes

"The song is perfect, you are perfect babe, you've got this"

"You know me I've got it when I've got it" she laughed "Get dressed"

"In a bit come here" he called her to him dragging her onto the bed "We need to get my mood out the way before we can deal with your mood" he laughed as she dropped the phone and fall into his mood

"Come on babe, I'm going to be late" she was shouting at the bathroom door an hour later "I shouldn't have let you talk me into that" she laughed

"Look" Sam stood in the bathroom doorway saying "You're that good they'll wait believe me"

"They wait if they already know you" she laughed "Dressed" she slapped his naked butt saying

Forty minutes later they were sitting in 5050 studio's waiting to be called

"Hi Mercedes Jones is it?" a Lady came out asking as Mercy jumped up and Sam followed

"Yes Mercy Jones" she told her

"I'm Lexi, I've been told you have an exceptional voice" she smiled "Let's see what we have here" she shook their hands saying "I'm guessing your Sam?"

"Yes I am" he said letting go of her hand and looking at Mercy "If you don't mind me asking, have you never heard Mercy's singing" he asked needing to clarify what she'd said

"No someone I know has and gave me a nudge" she smiled looking at the door she was leading them through before adding "Matt's my brother, Ransford" she told their puzzled faces

"Matt" they smiled as they entered the room full of people

"We've been told to expect big things Mercy" she smiled "Take your time, pass your music to Ricky in there, Paddy here will be doing the mixing and the floor's yours, I'll give you like 15 minutes to prepare" she said looking at Sam "You can sit anywhere in here"

10 minutes later everyone was getting ready for the first taste of Mercy Jones' voice, Sam was mega excited and Mercy was super fidgety "You ready Mercedes?" Lexi asked

"Yeah" she said through the mic smiling as she looked at Sam for encouragement

"The floors yours" Lexi told her as Mercy started singing her version of **'I didn't know my own Strength' by Whitney Houston** the room was silent as she sung and for a few seconds after she finished as everyone looked at each other smiles developing on their faces "I guess you're going to find your own strength girl, we need more of you" Lexi said

"Aaarrhhh" Mercy screamed and Sam couldn't get in there fast enough to hug her

 **5 years later**

"Come on Demi" Kate shouted as they got out the car

"Slow down" Sally said as she got out herself "And grab one of these two" she told them passing her babies out the car a three year old boy and four year old girl as Demi and Kate grabbed one each and Sally caught James' hand and walked into the building "There they are" she said pointing to the table up the front as Debbie and Sharon waved at them "Deb, Captain" she said as she got close enough to hug them

"It's Sharon tonight and always for you Sally, you're not even in the force any more" she laughed "Let me have a munch of those beautiful babies of yours" she said picking the youngest one of them up and talking to them requesting a kiss "It was worth leaving for wasn't it?" she asked Sally, looking at the child

"Very much so" she said proudly

"Back in a bit" Kate said as Demi and her had deposited the children and ran off together, everyone rolling their eyes at the drama they were creating

"It's going to be a full house tonight, I can feel it" James said looking around the room as Sam's family came walking towards them

"We're all on the same table" Jean said as she went round hugging everyone, they were almost ready for lift off when Mercy's family came rushing in

"Sorry last minute nappy change" Tony came in saying holding his baby girl, with the family following close behind

"Oh look at this beautiful baby" Jean said touching; Mercy's niece, Grace's face

"Thanks" Tony said as he gave Jean a kiss saying hi, waving at everyone round the table as he sat down

"Did you see Demi and Kate anywhere out there?" Sally asked

"Yeah their coming with Sam I think" Tesla replied as she sat down leaning in for a kiss from Jean

"Hi Guys" Jean said as Uncle James and Aunt Ivy came towards them for hugs

"Hi Sweet" Iris said hugging Jean as Trevor and Eric stood chatting and waiting to push their chairs in when they sat

"Ladies and Gentlemen" they heard drawing everyone's attention to the stage, as they found their seats quickly

"Where's Sam?" Jean asked frustrated looking at the entrance

"Welcome to the Annual Survivors Ball or we could just call it the after party of the MTV Music Awards of 2024, please welcome your host Comedian Extraordinaire and resident bad boy Matt Ransford" the commentator said as everyone laughed clapping

"Sam" Jean said when she saw him approaching "Where were you" she said taking Evie, their 11 month old daughter, blessed with dark hair the most piercing green eyes and dimples in both cheeks, off him "I don't see them much as it is"

"I had to go home to get them Mercy wanted them here" Sam replied as he grabbed Ethan, their twin son, whose only differential trait was that his hair was shorter that Evie's, from Demi "I get first dibs being his parent and stuff" he laughed as he took him

"I get first dibs being a grand parent and stuff" Jean said to him laughing as she passed Evie to her Eric and took Ethan off Sam

"Well we've managed to snag our prize tonight, she's recently won Best female, Best Video, Best Choreography, Best Direction and Video of 2024 MTV Awards, she's been a pivotal player in the founding of Survivor, she's never had the opportunity to be with us before but tonight on the 4th anniversary of the organisation that's helped over 3000 children in it's short life, please put your hands together for the Mrs Mercy Evans" Matt said as Mercy walked out on stage, everyone clapping, Sam the loudest

"Hi everyone" Mercy stepped out saying waving as she walked "Thank you Matt" she said as they crossed paths and hugged "Thank you" she said to the crowd looking at Sam who gave her a nod of encouragement "I need to tell you all a story" she told the crowd obviously the camera's were rolling, as people listened to her telling them her life smiling, crying, laughing and gasping along the tail as she put herself out there "There are many girls out there living like this, I know, I was one of those girls actually I was that girl, I just spoke about" she said as a hush came over the crowd "But I'm here to say, if you survive, there is life after that, and I want to say loud and clear Pedophilia is not Okay, Human Trafficking is not okay, Forced Prostitution is not Okay" she said as everyone stood clapping. "I see a lot of us dotted about this evening and I don't mean to out anyone that needs their plight to stay hidden but I asked some of you to help me out tonight and if you feel you can will you come up here and stand with me please" she asked as the few got up to join her "Gosh" she gasped overwhelmed at the crowd, as the individuals in the room move towards her "I'm blown away by the support" she said "Guys you know you're all going to help us up here sing our song" she said as some grabbed mics, while others gathered around one, the music eventually started and everyone started singing

 _ **"The Living Proof" by Mary J Blige**_

 _ **Mercy**_

 _It's gonna be a long, long journey, It's gonna be an uphill climb, It's gonna be a tough fight, there's gonna be some lonely nights, but I'm ready to carry on, I'm so glad the worst is over **All:** (cos it almost took me out), I can start living now ooh ooh, I feel like I can do anything, and finally I'm not afraid to breathe  
 **Chorus - All**  
Anything you say to me, and everything you do, you can't deny the truth, cos I'm the living proof, so many don't survive, they just don't make it through, but look at me oh ho, I'm the living proof - oh yes I am  
 **Mercy & Tesla**  
Thinking 'bout how life's been painful, took a while to learn how to smile, so now I'm gonna talk to my people oh oh, about the storm [2x] wo ooh, so glad the worst is over, I can start flying now oh ho, my best days are right in front of me, yet I'm almost there, cos now I'm free oh  
 **Chorus - All**  
Anything you say to me, and everything you do, you can't deny the truth, cos I'm the living proof, so many don't survive. they just don't make it through, but look at me, I'm the living proof  
 **(Mercy) All**  
I know where I'm going, cos I know where I've been oh oh, I kind of feel strong as, I'm gonna stay strong keep going, that's the way that I'll win  
 **Chorus - All**  
Anything you say to me, and everything you do **Mercy:** (everything you do), you can't deny the truth, cos I'm the living proof, so many don't survive, they just don't make it through, but look at me, I'm the living proof, _

_**Mercy:** __nothing 'bout my life's been easy, but nothing's gonna keep me down no, cos I know a lot more today, than I know yesterday, so I'm ready to carry on_

They sang as everyone on the floor moved around enjoying the fact that thy were living and stood clapped when the singers finished "Thank you" Mercy said as people left the stage "So I guess folks understand my songs better now" she laughed making the crowd laugh too "You know I think it's important for all survivors to look back at where we've been and share learning, understanding and even coping methods for later life and I do that, just like everybody else but my feet stay firmly in the fact that I survived, and that was because of a chain of people, who maybe wanted something from me initially but they quickly became my network" she said as the crowd clapped "They're still very much involved in my life and I want to say thank you" she said blowing a kiss to her family and close friends on the table below her "But above them all I found my rock and I mean that in every sense, in my husband Sam who fought with me through all the crap, fought for me in some instances and still fights with me along with our beautiful family to this very day and I need to thank him" she said blowing a kiss to him as he stood up in acknowledgement "for being my anchor and I love you Babe" she told him smiling

"Love you too" he shouted back

"I want to thank each and every one of you who came out tonight in support of themselves, someone, everyone or the cause, and of course with the theme being survival I have a ballad from another icon to leave you all with tonight" she looked at the orchestra saying as they started playing **'Hero' by Mariah Carey** and she sang her final song, leaving the stage to mingle directly after it as the DJ started playing

"Mercy" she heard as she reached for one of her babies, looking over her shoulder to put a face to the familiar voice "Remember me?" she asked smiling as Mercy turned fully to look at Sonia standing there

"Sonia" she gasped with a smile before she remembered the last conversation she'd heard that included her "Didn't I nearly die because of you?" she spat at her

"Actually I nearly died because of you" she told her "Can we talk?" she asked as Mercy looked at Sam and then Sharon and somehow knew she needed to

"Yeah" she said guiding her to an almost empty table, as Sonia told her how she was a victim of the system too, a long while ago, she'd been targeted by Dean's guys, because she had contact with Mercy, some dodgy cop had given her details to him, and she truly feared for her life when they rocked up. She told them where Mercy was but she also told the police as soon as they left what she'd done and that's why the police were there in seconds and she was already at the lodge when Mercy got there, she was in protective custody too

"Survival" she told Mercy and she understood that

"Survival" Mercy said as she hugged her

The evening ended with all the babies in the room being the main stars for a hot minute before their grandparents demanded they take them all home, and Sonia took her Grandchildren home too

"I think we've snagged us a night without our babies" Sam smiled into Mercy's neck saying after they'd kissed their children and parents goodnight

"I think you'll find that's 2 nights and a day" she smiled

"But it's Sunday tomorrow" he frowned

"And with MTV on Friday and this tonight I think even God rested on the 7th day"

"Praise" he giggled into her neck "Home" he looked at her saying

They kissed their family and friends and eventually made their way to their car for the ride home "Mercy" he said getting her attention "Coping methods, you've never mentioned them to me, what do you do?"

"Eo unil nya frakrr" (I dream you always) she smiled at him saying as he grabbed her lips

"Eo si nya nihawny" (I do, you too) he told her when he let her up "You keep me alive, you really don't know you're own strength do you?"

"And I'm alive because of you" she laughed "It's you that doesn't know your own strength"

"Truce" he laughed "We didn't know our own strength" he said as she nodded in agreement "I guess it's Ethan and Evie that do it for the both of us" he said as she nodded agreement

"I'm going to work my butt off to make sure they, or any other children, never have to go through what Sherone, Tesla or I did" she looked at him saying

"We'll negotiate on how much of that butt you can actually work off" he grabbed hold of it saying as they rubbed nosed "I love you babe"

"I love you too" she replied as they wrapped up and went home

The End


End file.
